The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conducted a statewide crackdown on Thursday, seizing stocks worth Rs 73 lakh from 12 establishments across seven districts for selling misbranded medicines and running misleading advertisements. The raids were carried out simultaneously in Mumbai, Konkan, Pune, Nashik, Nagpur, Amravati, and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar under the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954.
Focus on Misleading Advertisements
FDA officials stated that the action was prompted by advertisements making exaggerated therapeutic claims for ayurvedic medicines. A significant portion of the seized products came from Divya Pharmacy, Haridwar, Uttarakhand, which allegedly marketed items with claims of cures and miraculous treatments for serious illnesses.
Division-Wise Seizures
The Konkan division saw the highest seizure value at Rs 18.58 lakh, followed by Pune (Rs 14.68 lakh), Nagpur (Rs 7.26 lakh), and Nashik (Rs 7.10 lakh). In Greater Mumbai, medicines worth Rs 1.85 lakh were confiscated. Additionally, misbranded allopathy medicines worth Rs 21.83 lakh were seized during inspections.
Newly appointed FDA commissioner Tukaram Mundhe emphasized that strict legal action would be taken against violators of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and other relevant laws. He stated, "Safe medicines are the fundamental right of every citizen."
The FDA appealed to citizens to avoid self-medication based on advertisements and to report suspicious products or misleading claims to the administration. This operation underscores the state's commitment to curbing the sale of substandard and falsely advertised drugs.
