Fake Medicine Racket Busted In Pune: Paracetamol Sold As Azithromycin, ₹61.67 Lakh Stock Seized

Amid nationwide concern over counterfeit medicines, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has uncovered a shocking case in Pune - fake allopathy and Ayurvedic medicines being supplied in the market. In a disturbing revelation, paracetamol was being sold under the label of azithromycin, a widely used antibiotic.

The FDA’s inspection revealed adulteration not only in antibiotics but also in tablets used to control blood pressure and diabetes. During raids conducted between April and September, the FDA seized counterfeit medicines worth ₹61.67 lakh from two manufacturers - an allopathy company based in Shikrapur and an Ayurvedic firm in Thane.

From the Shikrapur unit alone, fake azithromycin tablets and adulterated medicines for diabetes and hypertension worth ₹55.62 lakh were confiscated. Another stock of Ayurvedic medicines worth ₹6.05 lakh was seized during a separate operation.

“In the Pune division, we regularly inspect 66 manufacturers and sellers. Action has been taken against two companies between April and September this year, and samples from 15 locations were tested,” said Girish Hukre, Joint Commissioner, FDA, Pune Division.

Officials confirmed that the Shikrapur-based company had supplied azithromycin tablets to certain municipal hospitals in the city, raising serious concerns about the safety of patients. Cases have been registered against both manufacturers, and further investigation is underway.

Medical experts and pharmacists have demanded that the administration tighten surveillance to prevent fake medicines from entering the city’s supply chain. Some drug dealers have also questioned how many vendors’ licenses were revoked for selling such counterfeit products.

The revelations come at a time when several deaths of children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have been linked to contaminated cough syrup. Following the incidents, the FDA has intensified checks on cough syrups across the Pune division. Many local drug dealers have already stopped selling syrups from the suspected companies.

Health Minister Prakash Abitkar assured that strict action will be taken against those involved in manufacturing and supplying fake medicines.

“A Drug Detection Machine will soon be deployed across the state to ensure the quality of medicines. Government hospital supplies must match the quality standards of private institutions,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has instructed that cough syrups should not be given to children under two years of age, warning that the chemicals may not break down properly in their bodies and could have toxic effects. The advisory also cautioned against giving such syrups to children under five, as they are prone to adverse side effects.