Last Updated on May 30, 2025 by The Health Master
Uttar Pradesh
The Food Safety and Drug Administration of Uttar Pradesh’s (FSDA) has significantly impacted fake drug operations, with ₹30.77 crore worth of counterfeit medicines seized last financial year alone through a massive state-wide investigation into these illegal activities.
FSDA’s action in the Last Financial Year
Last financial year, the FSDA, Uttar Pradesh engaged in 1,039 statewide investigations under enforcement action and a review with 13,848 samples of drugs and cosmetics taken throughout the state.
While many samples must be tested to ensure safety and quality, the fact that more than 1,166 drug licenses were cancelled over the financial year shows positive results in efforts.
Furthermore, 68 people were arrested to ensure compliance with cancelled licenses.
FSDA’s Inspections
The FSDA, Uttar Pradesh, took it upon itself to investigate almost as much as it raided suspected operations.
The department inspected 463 licensed drug manufacturers’ locations, 647 blood centres across the state for quality control, and 10,462 retail medical stores, some of which required landmark testing of samples afterward.
Ultimately, 96 samples were found to be completely fake medications, while another 497 were substandard.
Area-wise operations:
Specific operations in key cities highlight the effectiveness of the FSDA’s strategy:
Lucknow:
Several crucial raids, often conducted in collaboration with the Special Task Force (STF), specifically targeted the proliferation of counterfeit drugs and the illegal distribution of oxytocin.
Agra:
A significant breakthrough occurred on November 5, 2024, when authorities successfully seized fake medicines valued at a substantial ₹1.36 crore.
Ghaziabad:
In a targeted operation on February 6, 2025, law enforcement recovered narcotics with an estimated value of ₹90 lakh, disrupting a key node in the drug trafficking network.
Bareilly:
The crackdown extended beyond pharmaceuticals, with the seizure of counterfeit cosmetic products worth ₹50 lakh in April 2025, demonstrating the FSDA, Uttar Pradesh‘s commitment to tackling all forms of fraudulent products that could harm consumers.
Continuing Efforts
Currently, 14 samples of drugs remain under investigative procedures to determine whether they’re adulterated allopathic drugs masquerading as Ayurvedic drugs.
Thus, public health is at risk for many consumers who consider Ayurveda part of their wellness routine, and more investigations will be required from compliance checks to regulatory sustained efforts.
However, FSDA, Uttar Pradesh officials have conveyed that this relentless sustained crackdown will continue as part of greater efforts moving forward to ensure public health is not compromised while courts and attorneys general can create actionable evidence against larger companies engaging in the progress.
Q. Why are counterfeit medications dangerous?
A. Counterfeit medications can include active ingredients that are not up to par, which makes them ineffective, or they can be outright dangerous if other incorrect agents are included, collected through cross-contamination, or produced under unsanitary conditions.
Q. What happens to those involved in the illegal drug trade?
A. Licenses are cancelled, citations are issued, and FSDA presses charges against those involved in the production, distribution, and sale of counterfeit and less-than-ideal goods.
Disclaimer: This article contains information obtained from the source mentioned below. Our team made changes in the format to rewrite and present the news or article in a unique format.
Include name of Authorised Person for Batch Release: DTAB
DCA Telangana: Special drive at Medical Stores for QR codes on 300 brands
Irrational Antibiotic combinations: Stricter Regulations
DTAB recommends ban on 34 antimicrobials for animal use
USFDA approval granted for Raltegravir Tablets
USFDA issues EIR to Piramal Pharma for Turbhe facility
DTAB recommends Ban on 16 Fixed Dose Combinations
Ranitidine Under Scrutiny: NDMA Levels & Shelf Life in Focus
