New Delhi

 

Fake drugs worth Rs 300 crores are being sold off in the NCR region every year, reveals the latest survey of the Associated Chambers of Commerce (Assocham).

 

The data collected by the chamber observed that the intensification of the spurious drugs in the region has not only severely impacted the original drugs manufacturers annual turnover by about 25 per cent in Ghaziabad, Meerut, Noida, Faridabad, Gurgaon and Sonepat but has also hugely threatened the life of patients.

The key factors for the spread of fake drugs in the NCR comprise the shortages of drug inspectors and proper lab facilities to check purity of drugs, storages of spurious drugs by the chemists, weaknesses in drug distribution system, plenty of uneducated workforce in the NCR and lack of enforcement.

The report suggests that majority of such drugs are devoid of necessary ingredients. The fake drugs makers not only damage the society but evade taxation such as excise, VAT and local levies and subject the government to revenue losses, which runs into thousands of rupees.

The NCR has limited drugs inspectors to monitor over 3,300 chemists and over 30 per cent chemists are based in various small areas of the NCR.

The fake drugs are also available in the popular medicines like Crocin, Voveran, Betadine, injections of calcium and syrups like Cosavil. The fake drugs business has turned into a massive racket and even the government-run hospitals in the NCR have witnessed the availability of fake drugs to the extent of 10 per cent to 15 per cent.

The chamber suggested creation of the NCR Drugs Protection Authority to monitor nefarious activities of fake and counterfeit drugs manufacturers.