There would hardly be any house among us where paracetamol tablets are not kept. If we feel a little heavy, feel dizzy or have a slight fever, then without thinking we take out a leaf and swallow a pill. Similarly, blood pressure patients regularly take BP pills like Telmisartan every morning so that the heart remains safe. But think, what will happen if the medicine you are taking to get cured turns out to be fake or of poor quality?
Recently a news has come from Nagpur, Maharashtra which has shocked everyone. There, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has ordered immediate recall of about 1.25 lakh paracetamol and telmisartan tablets supplied in government hospitals and shops. In the lab test, these medicines have completely failed the quality test.
Let us understand in very simple and straightforward language what happened in Nagpur and how as a common man you can identify fake or substandard medicines at the medical store.
Nagpur FDA team from time to time collects samples of medicines from hospitals and medical stores and sends them to the government lab for testing. This time when samples of paracetamol and BP medicine Telmisartan were tested, the results were very surprising.
The lab report found that the active ingredient, the essential chemical needed to reduce fever, in these paracetamol tablets was much less than the prescribed quantity.
Telmisartan tablets also did not meet the standard, which means that if a BP patient consumes it, his blood pressure may increase instead of coming under control.
As soon as the report came, the administration immediately banned the entire batch of about 1.25 lakh tablets and issued an order to immediately recall these medicines wherever they were distributed.Officials say that such substandard medicines do not cure the disease, on the contrary, they can cause severe damage to the liver and kidneys of the patient.
The network of fake and substandard medicines from road to hospital.This is not the first time that drug samples have failed in our country. Actually, there are two types of bad medicines circulating in the market. First, those which are completely fake, that is, chalk-soil or substandard powder is mixed in some illegal factory and packed in the name of a branded company. Secondly, those which are called sub-standard i.e. substandard, in which the licensed company does not add the correct quantity of medicine in the name of profit.
The patient thinks that he is taking medicine, but after going inside, that medicine has no effect. The result is that minor fever worsens to a serious form and the patient’s life is at stake.
Now the biggest question that arises is that we are not scientists or lab technicians. Then, standing at a medical store, how can a common man understand whether the leaf he is buying is real or fake? Here are some very simple methods which everyone should keep in mind.
Whenever you take a medicine leaflet from the medical, look at it carefully. The name, spelling and logo on the packaging of genuine medicines are clearly visible and prominent. If any letter appears misspelled on the wrapper or the printing is blurry (misprinted), then be immediately suspicious.If the foil seal seems open or dislocated anywhere, never buy that medicine.If you notice any strange difference in color or the shade of some tablets in the same leaf is different, then immediately inform the shopkeeper.
Nowadays, the government has made it mandatory to print QR code or barcode on the wrappers of many major and essential medicines.Open your smartphone’s camera and scan the barcode on the back of the leaf.As soon as the scan is done, the name of the original company manufacturing the medicine, manufacturing date and batch number should appear on the screen.If nothing opens when you scan the code or you see a strange fake website, then understand that the matter is wrong.When you come home and take out the pill, pay some attention to its texture.If the tablet starts to crumble as soon as it is taken in hand or its powder falls out inside the leaf, then it is a sign of poor quality.Even if the pill seems very moist or sticky, avoid eating it.If a syrup has formed a very thick layer at the bottom and does not dissolve even after stirring, then do not give it to children at all.
never give up the habit of paying bills
In our country, most of the people go to the medical store and pay money and come away with the medicine in their pocket. No one asks for a fixed bill. This is the biggest mistake. Always ask for confirmed cash memo or computer bill from the shopkeeper. The name of the medicine, its batch number and expiry date must be mentioned on the bill. The advantage of having a firm bill is that if tomorrow the medicine of that batch is declared a failure like in Nagpur, then you can hold the medical person responsible on the basis of the same bill and make a claim.
If you do not feel any benefit after taking any medicine, or vomiting, stomach ache and red rash suddenly starts appearing on the body, then stop that medicine immediately.Go to your doctor immediately and tell him that you are experiencing such problems after taking this medicine.Keep the remaining medicine leaflet safely so that the doctor or drug inspector can see it.You can also lodge an online complaint against the batch number of that medicine by visiting the website of the state drug control department or FDA.
It is very important to be a little cautious about your health. Never buy medicines from an unknown or roadside medical shop for the sake of cheapness. Whenever you take medicine, take two minutes to check its batch number, expiry and printing. This little precaution of yours can keep you and your entire family completely safe from this dangerous game of fake medicines.