Kolkata, March 26 -- In the wake of a series of fake medicines being recovered from various parts of the state, the Directorate of Drug Control in Bengal has published phone numbers so that people can directly call at these numbers to draw the attention of the authority if they suspect any strips of medicines or bottle to be fake. The numbers are 033 2225-2213/ 033 2225-2214.
The notification also said that if any drugs bought from a shop are suspected to be fake or if drugs are not found to be effective, the customers may send e-mails at tellddcwb@rediffmail.com.
The substantial chunk of the fake and substandard medicines recovered during a raid by state and central drug control officers at a warehouse in Titagarh recently were Human Albumin ampules used for treating low blood volume (hypovolemia) and replacing albumin in patients with low albumin levels. State Health department also published a WhatsApp number 7908077615 for registering complaints. E-mails can also be sent at prosecutionandcomplaintcell@gmail.com.
Sources said it was a major portion of the spurious medicines worth Rs 34 lakh that was found at the warehouse. The officials of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation and also from West Bengal Directorate of Drug Control carried out the raid.
What was found to be shocking was that the manufacturing company failed to recognise the batch number of the Human Albumin seized.
The officials found that the albumin was supplied by a retailer at Beliaghata who procured it from a wholesaler at Mehta Building, a wholesale hub of medicines in Burrabazar.
It was found that several fake medicines were found during the raid. When QR codes are scanned it says, "Does not match any documents". Around 30 per cent of strips of medicines inside the boxes were found to be fake. These fake medicines were mixed inside the genuine medicines.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.