Gujarat Drug Authorities Raid 30+ Dealers over Suspected Duplicate Nicardia Retard Tablets

The Gujarat Food and Drug Commissioner’s office raided more than 30 medicine dealers in Ahmedabad, Vadodara and other parts of the state over the suspected sale of substandard or duplicate heart medication. One person has been arrested in Sanand.
Officials say Nicardia Retard 10 mg and 20 mg tablets, were being sold at unusually low prices, raising suspicion over the source and quality of the medicines.
Nicardia Retard contains nifedipine, a medicine used to control blood pressure and heart rate.
Dealers are legally allowed a margin of around 10%, but some were allegedly offering discounts of 17–18%. Some dealers in Gujarat had allegedly procured the heavily discounted medicines from suppliers in Delhi, according to persons familiar with the issue. The pricing discrepancy reportedly prompted authorities to investigate whether the medicines were genuine.

Gujarat Drug Authorities Launch Investigation

Officials from the Food and Drug Commissioner’s office are expected to provide more details about the raids and the investigation by Wednesday evening.
The developments have raised concerns in medical circles over the possible circulation of duplicate or substandard medicines.
Sources said similar action has reportedly been taken in other states against dealers selling the medicines at unusually low prices, with the licences of some dealers allegedly cancelled.
The investigation comes as Gujarat’s drug authorities undertake wider checks on the quality and sale of medicines across the state.

Antibiotic Quality Checks Underway Across Gujarat

Meanwhile, the Food and Drug Commissioner’s office has launched a separate drive to check the quality of antibiotics being sold in rural areas.
Officials have started collecting antibiotic samples from all 33 districts of Gujarat, with a particular focus on rural areas where concerns have been raised over the sale of substandard medicines.
The exercise is aimed at checking the quality of medicines available in rural markets and ensuring compliance with drug safety standards.

Crackdown on Antibiotics Sold Without Prescriptions

The department has also intensified action against the sale of antibiotics without prescriptions.
Although antibiotics are required to be sold against a doctor’s prescription, officials have reportedly found instances of their unrestricted sale.
As part of the ongoing statewide campaign, authorities have begun checking medicine sellers and taking action against those allegedly selling antibiotics without valid prescriptions.