FSDA cancels 16 pharmacy licences, suspends 8, including Pfizer depot
The action follows the department’s investigation into a large-scale unlicenced drug repacking and relabelling racket uncovered at a farmhouse in Bengaluru South district’s Bidadi on August 18.
The Karnataka Food Safety and Drugs Administration (FSDA) has cancelled licences for 16 pharmacies and suspended those of eight others, including Pfizer's depot in Nelamangala. This action follows an investigation into a large-scale unlicensed drug repacking and relabelling racket uncovered in Bidadi on August 18. The investigation led to the seizure of counterfeit drugs, machinery, and printing material worth ₹5.05 crore from the farm.
The State government formed a Special Investigation Team headed by IPS officer C. Vamsi Krishna, who stated that Pfizer did not cooperate with the inquiry, resulting in the suspension of its licence. Health Minister U.T. Khader emphasized that strict action would be taken against those implicated in the SIT report, regardless of their influence.
Citizens are advised to purchase medicines from licensed pharmacies and report suspicious packaging or non-functional QR codes on drug labels. The FSDA has also seized expired drugs, injection-filling machinery, forged labels, and stamps, and has blocked the batch numbers and entries of the seized medications on its portal.
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