In a landmark judgment, a city doctor has been imprisoned for two months for selling expired and unlicensed ayurvedic pills to patients
In a landmark judgment, a city doctor has been imprisoned for two months for selling expired and unlicensed ayurvedic pills to patients
In what can be termed a landmark judgment, a doctor has been imprisoned for two months for selling expired and unlicensed ayurvedic drugs to patients.
According to Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) officials, this is the first time in many cases of spurious drugs busted that a doctor has been jailed for the act. He was found guilty under section 33 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.
Speaking to MiD DAY, assistant commissioner (drugs) R B Joshi said the accused, Dr T R Biyani, ran a clinic in the Bibvewadi area. Biyani had opened a partnership firm, Pooja Ayurvedic Research Centre, along with five others, but the firm shut down in 2007.
"All the partners split the products between themselves. The accused received nearly 800 bottles of a drug called C V Drop capsule that was due to expire on January 2007. But as he couldn't sell the stock in time, he changed the expiry date to December 2010 on the labels and began selling the medicine," said Joshi.
Though this is the first time that a doctor has been nailed, FDA officials said that people should exercise caution before buying ayurvedic drugs.
Major side effects
"It's a myth that all ayurvedic drugs are safe, and have no major side effects," said Joshi.
Doctors agree that tampering with expiry dates is a serious issue. Even taking ayurvedic preparations without medical supervision can be harmful.
"There is always a possibility that the pills may be tampered with or contain heavy metals that can cause severe damage to the body,"
The FDA officials said that they may consider taking help from their Mumbai counterparts who have started a drive against fake ayurvedic drug manufacturers. "In Mumbai, they have busted various outfits recently including the famous case of Dr Munir Khan who was claiming to sell a miracle drug. We might ask them for help," said Joshi. added Joshi.
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