NHRC sends notice to Centre, DGCI over circulation of falsified drugs

The NHRC has issued notices to the Union health ministry and the Drugs Controller General of India over the reported circulation of falsified liver drug Defitalio and cancer drug Adcetris, officials said on Wednesday.

The National Human Rights Commission, in a statement, observed that the content of the news report, if true, raises a serious issue of violation of human rights, which is a matter of concern, it said.

The NHRC has taken "suo motu cognisance of a media report that after the alert from the World Health Organization (WHO), the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) has asked the state regulators, doctors and patients to remain vigilant about two medicines - liver drug Defitalio and cancer drug Adcetris, as the falsified versions of these drugs are circulating in four countries, including India", it said.

"Reportedly, the falsified versions of Adcetris injection 50 mg, detected in four countries, including India, are most often found to be available at the patient level and distributed in unregulated supply chains (mainly online)," it added.

Accordingly, it has issued direct issuance notices to the secretary, Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Drugs Controller General of India calling for a detailed report, the statement said.

The report should include the present status of the implementation of the relevant laws to check the supply and sale of the falsified versions of life-saving drugs, including Defitalio and Adcetris, if any, as mentioned in the news report. The response is expected within four weeks, it added.

According to the media report, carried on September 11, "The product does not have marketing authorisation" in India and Turkiye.

However, the falsified versions of the liver medicine Defitalio were detected in India and Turkiye, which were supplied outside of regulated and authorised channels, the statement said.