In a crackdown on drug pricing violations, Telangana’s Drugs Control Administration (DCA) seized overpriced stocks of Mupirocin ointment from Medzine Life Sciences, located in ALEAL Industrial Estate, Malkajgiri district. The raid, conducted on Wednesday, revealed that the company was selling the antibiotic ointment well above the government-mandated ceiling price.
Details of Pricing Violation
The central government, under the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013, has set a ceiling price of Rs 20.29 per gram for Mupirocin and a maximum retail price of Rs 113.62 for a 5-gram tube, inclusive of GST. However, Medzine Life Sciences was found selling a 5-gram tube at Rs 144, exceeding the limit by Rs 30.37 per tube. This overpricing violates regulations set by the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority, which enforces price controls on essential medicines to ensure affordability.
Public Encouraged to Report Violations
Drugs Control Administration’s Director General, V.B. Kamalasan Reddy, urged the public to report any suspicious drug-related activities or price violations, including narcotic and psychotropic substances. The DCA’s toll-free hotline, 1800-599-6969, is available for public complaints between 10:30 am to 5:00 pm on working days.