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The All India Chemists and Distributors Federation (AICDF), led by chairman Narendra Jain in Mumbai and general secretary Joydeep Sarkar in Kolkata, has launched a scathing complaint against several pharmaceutical marketing companies, alleging illegal brand promotion, price manipulation, and a severe ‘unholy nexus’ with regulatory officials.
The complaint, filed with the Chairman of the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), with copies sent to the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), the West Bengal State Drug Controller, and the Chief Minister of West Bengal, demands an immediate ban on all unapproved brands operating in the state.
The core of the AICDF's grievance centres on companies illegally promoting brands that have not received the mandatory regulatory clearance, particularly concerning price compliance under the DPCO, 2013. The Federation highlighted that many brands are being actively pushed to doctors and the trade before the mandatory Form V (price intimation) is procured, labelling these as illegal products. This pre-approval promotion, or the continuation of promotional activity before securing legal price notes, is viewed by the AICDF as a clear and conscious violation of the law.
The complaint explicitly calls out the alleged nexus between the accused companies and drug trade associations, noting the importance some companies place on Product Availability Information (PAI) issued by traders. The AICDF warned that any perceived leniency would be seen as compensating illegal brands by compromising with offense, asserting that the health sector requires strict adherence to legal provisions to prevent harm to common people. The Federation's concern comes amid a recent surge in reports of counterfeit and spurious drugs in West Bengal.
Highlighting the gravity of non-compliance, the complaint cited the case of the toxic cough syrup Coldrif, questioning whether that brand had NPPA approval via Form V. The Federation emphasized that the mere presence of a competent person on a company’s record does not justify immunity from prosecution, arguing that ignorance of drug jurisprudence should not permit a ‘No Conviction’ outcome for the licensees responsible. This strategic inclusion frames the compliance issue as a matter of public safety and life.
Further inflaming the issue, the AICDF cited specific examples of undue influence, naming MIZ Pharmaceuticals in West Bengal for allegedly demanding an acquaintance's appointment to an influential position in the state health department of West Bengal. It also accused Griffin Pharmaceuticals of naming a state assistant drugs controller as their ‘advisor’. The Federation believes this hobnobbing often interrupts the progress of prosecution and demands that such favouritism be eliminated in favour of prioritizing human lives.
To underscore the seriousness of their plea, the AICDF pointed to recent action taken in other states, noting that the government of Tamil Nadu had already suspended two senior inspectors for overlooking such disputes, discrepancies, anomalies and negligence. This serves as a direct challenge to the West Bengal authorities to demonstrate similar political will in cleaning up the state's drug regulatory system.
The Federation’s complaint names seven companies specifically accused of these irregularities, demanding that their unapproved brands be immediately banned from further use. The listed companies are Sugarline Pharmaceuticals Pvt Ltd, Kyrie Elision Private Limited, Lyceum Life Sciences Pvt Ltd, Arros (India) Laboratories Pvt Ltd, Miz Pharmaceuticals, Griffin Biogenics Pvt Ltd, and Yap Cosderm Laboratories Pvt Ltd. The AICDF's strong representation now puts pressure on the NPPA and the West Bengal administration to conduct a swift and transparent investigation.
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