FDA examines supply chain of five cough syrup companies

Cough syrups have emerged as an easy source of addiction for the younger population, especially school children. These are easily accessible and have economical prices ranging between Rs 80 to 100 for a 100-ml bottle. The syrups contain codeine phosphate that causes relaxation and euphoria. Excessive intake often leads to anxiety attack, after which a person craves for another dose.

According to FDA officials, the confiscated supply was being sold at a higher price ranging between Rs 115 to Rs 130 per bottle.

On October 26, the FDA officials along with Kashimira Police, Thane, pretended to be fake customers and carried out a ‘test purchase’ from a local supplier named Dalaram Choudhari. A trap was laid at Fountain Hotel, Thane, to arrest Choudhari who later led the police to a godown in Nalasopara.
“The godown is owned by Bharat Choudhari. We found 145 boxes of various brands. This is a first and major kind of raid for cough syrups in the recent past,” said Kamble.

Dalaram was booked under Section 18A and 18C of Drug and Cosmetics Act and Section 328, 336, 269, 36 of the Indian Penal Code.

The FDA officials had found five brands, Rexcof by Cipla, Rancodex by Ranbaxy, Reskop by Promed, Corex by Pfizer and Conex by Acron at the Nalasopara warehouse. Their manufacturing units are based in Vapi, New Delhi, Indore, Pune and Ahmedabad respectively.

“Much of this stock is sold in Bengal and north-east states where demand is high. The bottles are sold at thrice the original price. All this activity is based on illegal purchases without license,” Kamble added.

According to an FDA official, attempts to get co-operation from all the five manufacturing units are now underway. The FDA is trying to determine at what point a particular batch of each company disappears from the chain.
tabassum.barnagarwala
@expressindia.com