Smuggling of anti cancer drug in India worth Rs 1.23 crore, Chinese arrested at airport

Written by Farhat Nasim Published On 2019-03-06T13:45:47+05:30 | Updated On 6 March 2019 1:45 PM IST

Smuggling of anti cancer drug in India worth Rs 1.23 crore, Chinese arrested at airport

Schedule H drugs are prescription drugs in India appearing as an appendix to the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945 introduced in 1945. These are drugs which cannot be purchased over the counter without the prescription of a qualified doctor.

NEW DELHI: In a major crackdown, the customs officials have arrested a Chinese man at the Delhi airport for allegedly trying to smuggle out anti-cancer medicine worth Rs 1.23 crore, according to an official statement issued on Tuesday. The accused was intercepted when he was proceeding to depart to Kunming in China on Sunday.

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"A detailed examination of hand baggage and check-in bags of the passenger resulted in the recovery of schedule H medicines valued at Rs 1.23 crore," the customs department said in the statement.

Schedule H is a part of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. The Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 has 25 Schedules, Schedule H is one among them. Schedule H is a class of prescription drugs in India appearing as an appendix to the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945 introduced in 1945. These are drugs which cannot be purchased over the counter without the prescription of a qualified doctor.

The drugs were kept in the four check-in bags of the passenger, it said. Official sources said the medicine was meant for cancer treatment.

The Chinese man has been arrested and the drugs were seized.

Also Read: 18 held for smuggling banned medicinal plants in Bandipora

In 2017, the ministry of Health and Family Welfare had amended the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945, in Schedule H by adding the following entries after the serial number 537 namely,- 538. Alclometasone, 539. Beclomethasone, 540. Betamethasone, 541. Desonide, 542. Desoximetasone, 543. Dexamethasone, 544. Diflorasone diacetate, 545. Fluocinonide, 546. Fluocinolone acetonide, 547. Halobetasol propionate, 548. Halometasone, 549. Methylprednisone, 550. Prednicarbate, 551. Triamcinolone acetonide”

Also Read: MORE DRUGS added to the Schedule H list

Medical Dialogues had recently reported that the government has brought 42 non-scheduled anti-cancer drugs under price control, capping trade margin at 30 per cent, which would reduce their retail prices by up to 85 per cent. These would cover 72 formulations and 355 brands as per data available with NPPA.

Also Read: NPPA caps trade margins to 30 percent for 42 cancer drugs

AIIMSanti-cancer drugcancercancer drugchinese manDelhi airportDNBdrug smugglingGeorge Washington UniversityMCIPGs in emergency medicineSchedule Hschedule H drugschedule H drugssmugglingsociety for emergency medicine in india

Source : with inputs

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Farhat Nasim

Farhat Nasim joined Medical Dialogue an Editor for the Business Section in 2017. She Covers all the updates in the Pharmaceutical field, Policy, Insurance, Business Healthcare, Medical News, Health News, Pharma News, Healthcare and Investment. She is a graduate of St.Xavier’s College Ranchi. She can be contacted at editorial@medicaldialogues.in Contact no. 011-43720751 To know about our editorial team click here