The State Drugs Control authorities have taken legal measures against a pharmacy, JJ Medicals at Poosharippadi, North Paravur for indulging in illegal sale of drugs online
Enforcement officials of the State Drugs Control department during inspection found that the drugs, Manforce 50, Manforce 100 and Vigore 100 had been bought without prescription from a registered medical practitioner or a purchase bill and that it had been sold online.
This is the first time that legal action is being taken under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940, for illegal online sale of drugs in the State. The medicines that were seized and all documents linked to its purchase/sale were presented before the North Paravur Judicial First Class Magistrate’s court.
Health Minister Veena George had written to the Union Health Ministry earlier that steps be taken to prevent the illegal online purchase of drugs from other States and the State Drugs Control department had been directed to take stringent measures against such pharma firms.
Such online sale of drugs was not a usual thing in Kerala. However, upon receiving information that a firm was selling medicines online, one of the Drugs Control officials visited the firm’s website and tried to order medicines online. He was able to purchase the medicines online without the doctor’s prescription. The address of the firm given was fake, which made tracing the firm difficult.
These medicines which come under Schedule H should not be dispensed without a doctor’s prescription . These are likely to be misused by people as stimulants and self medication without specific directions from a doctor can lead to serious harm, it is pointed out.
The raids were led by Assistant Drugs Controller, Ernakulam, Santhosh K. Mathew, Regional Drugs Inspector, T.I. Joshi, Drugs Inspector (Intelligence) Naveen K.R. and Drug Inspectors, Nisha Vincent, Dhanya V.S. and Anjitha Shaji
Published – November 22, 2025 08:01 pm IST
