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Journalism of Courage
This is an archive article published on April 15, 2025
Counterfeit medicines worth over Rs 2.5 lakh seized from Delhi wholesaler
An official from the state Health department said the chain of the counterfeit medicine has been connected to Agra, where the ointment was being supplied across pharmacies
According to officials, the drive was conducted to strengthen regulatory oversight of lifesaving anti-cancer medicines and protect vulnerable patients undergoing critical treatment.
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The Delhi Drugs Control department has recently seized counterfeit medicines worth over Rs 2.5 lakh from city-based wholesaler with the help of the QR code printed on the drug packaging.
Sources said the QR code printed on the packaging – mandated under Union government regulations for top 300 brands since August 1, 2023 – was fake and not aligned with manufacturer-generated data.
The QR code, a critical traceability feature, played a decisive role in confirming the product – Thrombophob ointment, a fast moving drug in the market – was counterfeit/spurious, they added.
An official from the state Health department said the chain of the counterfeit medicine has been connected to Agra, where the ointment was being supplied across pharmacies. “We have suspended the license of the wholesaler and will soon move court,” the official added.
Sources said a complaint was filed against the wholesaler, which has offices at Bhagirath Palace and Chandni Chowk in Delhi, by ZydusHealthcare Limited – the firm which manufactures the medicine.
During the inspection by the Drug Control department along with a representative of Zydus Healthcare on April 10, a stock of 1,408 tubes of the medicine was found. “The Zydus representative verified the tubes with the help of physical inspection and QR code scan,” the officer said.
The ointment is widely used to treat Thrombophlebitis, swelling of a vein, often caused by a blood clot in the vein. It’s a condition in which the presence of a blood clot causes inflammation or swelling of a vein. When applied to the affected area, the ointment penetrates the skin to help reduce inflammation and pain.
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Maintaining that the ointment is used abundantly in hospitals, the official said, “After the removal of cannula in a patient requiring intravenous fluid administration, the ointment is applied to dissolve blood and prevent blood clot. The ointment prevents internal bleeding and scars.”
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
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