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AICDF blows whistle on drug companies in Uttarakhand for regulatory violations
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Peethaambaran Kunnathoor, Chennai
September 16 , 2025
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In a bold move that could shake the pharmaceutical sector, the All India Chemists and Distributors Federation (AICDF) has submitted a scathing complaint to the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), raising serious concerns over the activities of certain drug manufacturers operating out of Uttarakhand.
The complaint, authored by AICDF general secretary Joydeep Sarkar, accuses these companies of widespread regulatory violations, unethical trade practices, and deliberate manipulation of drug pricing norms laid out under the Drugs Prices Control Order, 2013 (DPCO-2013).
Among the most alarming allegations is the claim that nearly half of one particular company's product range includes unregistered and unapproved brands, products that, according to the federation, effectively amount to illegal substances in the market. This raises red flags not only about consumer safety but also about systemic weaknesses in pharmaceutical oversight, especially when such practices continue unchecked over extended periods.
The complaint also draws attention to alleged irregularities in the manufacturing and sale of veterinary medicines. According to the AICDF, these companies have been distributing animal formulations without following any of the required legal or regulatory procedures. The potential implications are far-reaching, as such products, if improperly formulated or contaminated, could lead to serious health risks in both animals and humans who consume animal products.
Another serious charge involves pricing discrepancies. The federation claims that some companies are deliberately presenting false compliance by submitting Form V documents to authorities showing rates within government-mandated ceilings. In reality, however, these formulations are being sold at significantly inflated prices in the open market. Similarly, non-scheduled medicines are reportedly being sold at MRPs that differ from those declared in official affidavits, an act of price manipulation that directly undermines national efforts to make essential medicines affordable to the public.
Adding fuel to the fire, Joydeep Sarkar has alleged that certain manufacturers are encouraging illegal practices by promoting the sale of banned fixed dose combinations (FDCs), particularly in rural areas. These formulations are being pushed through local dealers, bypassing regulatory scrutiny. The federation further accuses companies of crafting fake or dealer-specific Form V documents while concealing the actual regulatory forms from oversight bodies, practices that suggest a well-coordinated attempt to hide illegal operations.
The AICDF has urged the NPPA to conduct an impartial and robust investigation into these allegations and to hold the offending manufacturers accountable without bias. A key part of the federation’s argument is the perceived double standard in regulatory enforcement, where manufacturers often receive leniency, while traders face severe penalties for lesser offenses. The traders’ body insists that justice should be uniform and based solely on the gravity of the offense, not on the profile of the offender.
Calling for immediate intervention, the AICDF emphasizes that the removal or penalization of such companies will not disrupt the supply of essential medicines, as alternative brands are readily available. The federation warns that if left unchecked, such unethical and illegal activities could open the door to larger public health threats and further undermine trust in the pharmaceutical sector. The AICDF pledges to continue working with state bodies and media outlets to expose such ‘black sheep manufacturers’, and push for long-overdue reforms in the pharmaceutical industry.
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