Any similarity in drug brand names that could lead to a doctor, pharmacist or patient receiving the wrong medication is a serious public health concern.
Maharashtra FDA bans sale of 2 drugs: The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has banned the sale and distribution of certain medicines of Cadila Pharmaceuticals Limited. Along with this, stock worth Rs 2.45 crore has also been seized across the state on Saturday.
According to a PTI report, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration has directed Cadila Pharma to immediately remove all available stocks of these drugs from the market. Along with this, the sale of ‘Acylock 150 Plus’ and ‘Acylock 300 Plus’ has been banned.
FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said in a statement, ‘Any similarity in drug brand names that could lead to a doctor, pharmacist or patient receiving the wrong medication is a serious public health concern.’ In such a situation, the patient may get the wrong medicine, due to which his health may worsen instead of improving.
According to Tukaram Mundhe, the company had earlier received approval to manufacture ranitidine-based ‘Acylock 150’ and ‘Acylock 300’, but later it launched famotidine-based drugs under the names ‘Acylock 150 Plus’ and ‘Acylock 300 Plus’ with almost identical branding, confusing.
Drugs worth a total of Rs 2,45,37,490 were seized from the company’s warehouses located in Pune, Nagpur and Bhiwandi in Thane district on July 9 and 10 during inspections conducted by the FDA. The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration said it was against the guidelines to market drugs with altered formulations with almost identical names. The investigation into the matter is still ongoing, and legal action will be taken under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, based on the findings.
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