NHRC’s notice to Centre, DGCI over reported 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 Organisation (WHO), the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (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.