How to identify counterfeit inhaler medicine?

Thiruvananthapuram: The Drug Control Department has exposed a major racket involving the supply of high-value asthma inhaler medicines to Kerala from a fake manufacturing unit operating in Mysuru. Officials said they received the tip-off from Medworld Pharma in Poonkunnam, Thrissur, where the counterfeit drug was first seized. During the inspection, authorities unearthed fake strips of Seroflo Rotacaps 250, a Cipla product.

The counterfeit tablets had packaging that perfectly imitated the original, including Cipla’s logo, batch number, and even the price. Previously, the malpractice largely involved marketing the same medicine under different brand names and influencing doctors to prescribe it. But medicines for critical illnesses were rarely counterfeited.

Can you identify fake medicines?
The Drug Control Department warns that producing fake medicines under the same brand name of a major company is far more dangerous. This opens the possibility of counterfeit versions of life-saving drugs also entering the market. Although suspicions about duplicate versions of major pharmaceutical brands being manufactured had long existed, this is the first time concrete evidence confirming those fears has been uncovered. Even experienced Drug Control officials could identify the counterfeit batch only after detailed examination.

Authorities said that QR code verification is the only reliable method. By scanning the QR code on the packaging, patients and pharmacists can confirm whether the medicine is genuine. Unfortunately, a majority of smartphone users still do not know how to use their devices for scanning.