Post News Network
Cuttack: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought action-taken reports (ATRs) from the Union government and 13 states including Orissa regarding a nationwide racket of supply of fake medicines.
Acting on a petition filed by rights activist Akhand, the Commission directed the Union health and family welfare secretary, principal secretaries of department of medical and health of 13 states namely Orissa, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Andhra Pradesh to submit ATRs within four weeks.
A fake pharmaceutical company in Rajasthan had recently supplied high-end medicines and antibiotics to these states. The company which was illegally manufacturing around 70 types of medicines with a fake Himachal Pradesh address supplied the same through various dealers throughout the country.
The racket was unearthed after a raid was conducted by the Drugs Control Authority of Orissa and other officials at the fake company manufacturing unit at Durgapur of Jaipur November 2. Medicines worth `50 lakh and machines worth `25 lakh were seized from the unit during the raid. The medicines manufactured at the unit were being supplied in the name of a Himachal Pradesh-based pharmaceutical company, sources said.
Though the act is a punishable offence under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, the governments of the concerned states are doing nothing to take action against the fake companies, Akhand alleged.
He prayed to the NHRC to impose a ban on these medicines and initiate criminal action against the company owner and other officials.