1 hr ago
Pfizer Prioritizes Patient Safety Amid Karnataka Counterfeit Medicine Probe
Authorities in Karnataka are investigating medicines that may have been fake.
They say some cheap medicines were repackaged and labelled as expensive medicines from major companies.
Some of the products reportedly carried the Pfizer name.
Pfizer said keeping patients safe is its top priority.
The company said it has been helping authorities for about a month.
It removed some batches from stores to prevent confusion between real and fake products.
Officials seized medicines and equipment during a raid near Bengaluru.
They also cancelled 16 drug licences and suspended eight more.
A criminal case has been filed under India’s Drugs and Cosmetics Act.
Pfizer said patient safety and product quality are its highest priorities.
The company said it has worked with authorities for about one month on the investigation.
Pfizer said it removed affected batches from the market and provided technical information to investigators.
Karnataka authorities cancelled 16 drug licences and suspended eight others over alleged spurious-medicine sales.
Officials seized alleged counterfeit drugs, machinery and printing materials worth about Rs 5.05 crore.
- Who
- Pfizer, the Karnataka Food and Drug Administration, and retailers and wholesalers affected by the regulator’s action.
- What
- An investigation into the alleged repacking, relabelling, distribution and sale of counterfeit medicines.
- Where
- A farmhouse in Kurubarakeranahalli, Bidadi, in Bengaluru South district, Karnataka.
- When
- The raid took place on August 18; Pfizer issued its statement on Tuesday, September 22.
- Why
- Authorities are investigating alleged spurious medicines and Pfizer says it is supporting efforts to protect patients and public health.
Pfizer’s Response
Regulators’ Findings
Handling of the affected products
Pfizer’s Response
Pfizer said it removed batches whose numbers had allegedly been copied by counterfeiters to avoid confusion and continued cooperating with authorities.
Regulators’ Findings
The Karnataka Food and Drug Administration said an alleged unlicensed operation repacked low-cost medicines and relabelled them as expensive life-saving medicines.
Main concern
Pfizer’s Response
Pfizer emphasized patient safety, product quality, public-health protection and confidence in the healthcare system.
Regulators’ Findings
Authorities focused on stopping the alleged distribution and sale of spurious medicines and took action against retailers and wholesalers.
Key facts
- Drug licences cancelled
- 16 retailer and wholesaler licences
- Drug licences suspended
- 8 retailer and wholesaler licences
- Raid date
- August 18
- Seizure value
- Approximately Rs 5.05 crore
- Location
- Kurubarakeranahalli, Bidadi, Bengaluru South district
- Pfizer response
- Removed affected batches, helped distinguish genuine and counterfeit products, and supplied technical information
- Legal action
- A criminal case was registered under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940
Quotes
Pfizer
Pharmaceutical company responding to Karnataka’s counterfeit-medicine investigation
“Since then, we have taken several actions to support the investigation, including removing from the market Pfizer batches (where batch numbers were copied by counterfeit) to avoid confusion, supporting to differentiate between original and counterfeit product, and providing technical and other relevant information related to the affected batches.”
theprint.in
“Patient safety and product quality are of the highest priority for us at Pfizer.”
theprint.in
Sources
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