The Directorate of Drugs Control (DDC), West Bengal has ordered an immediate recall of a particular batch of Telma-AM, a very popular anti-hypertension drug. This move comes after Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer of the drug, confirmed that batch 05240367 was a spurious version of the original drug. The recall reflects increasing fears of spurious drugs finding their way into the pharmaceutical supply chain.

Key Highlights
Spurious Drug Identification

• Telma-AM, a fixed dose combination of Telmisartan and Amlodipine, is widely used for hypertension.

• The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) marked batch 05240367 as Not of Standard Quality (NSQ).

• Glenmark Pharmaceuticals assured West Bengal health officials that the batch is a spurious imitation of their original drug.

Threats to Patient Health

• Untreated hypertension resulting from inefficacy of the drug can result in serious complications, such as stroke and cardiac arrest.

• Experts such as Dr. Arindam Biswas of RN Tagore International Institute of Cardiac Sciences have cautioned that substandard quality drugs can have catastrophic health effects.

• Pharmacology Professor Dr. Subhrojyoti Bhowmick of KPC Medical College has stressed the importance of stricter regulatory action and increased public awareness to detect counterfeit drugs.

Regulatory Action and Investigation

• The Bengal Chemists and Druggists Association (BCDA) has directed its members to stop sales and refund stock of the tainted batch.

• Scanning the QR code on the spurious drugs is said to display "could not be verified," proving its illegitimacy.

• A legal case has been filed in Uluberia court, and further investigations are on.

This recall highlights the critical need for strong drug regulations and citizen vigilance to tackle the burgeoning menace of fake drugs. Governments keep tightening their noose on fake medicines with increased stress on checks and verification like QR code scanning and checking the packaging.