Drugs

CBI secures deportation of ₹2.5 cr 'meow meow' case accused from UAE

Kubbawala Mustafa is accused of running an MDMA unit in Maharashtra. Mustafa was subject to a Red Notice issued in 2024

HC-ordered expert panel for weight loss drug may be set up by mid-July

A Delhi HC directive to examine unregulated use of weight loss drugs may lead to a CDSCO expert panel by mid-July, possibly led by DCGI with pharma and govt representation

Biocon Biologics gets EU nod for two drugs to treat bone diseases

Biocon Biologics receives marketing authorisation from the European Commission for two Denosumab biosimilars, Vevzuo and Evfraxy, expanding its portfolio in bone disease treatment

Youth addiction spikes across India, experts urge mental health push

As drug use rises among India's youth, experts call for early screening, mental health support, and community rehab over punitive action to turn the tide

Nigerian woman held in Bengaluru with ₹10 cr worth MDMA crystals

A foreign national was arrested in connection with a case of drug peddling here and over 5.3 kg of banned MDMA crystals worth Rs 10 crore was seized from her, police said on Friday. The woman, said to be a Nigerian was held following a tip-off on June 10 by the Central Crime Branch's anti-narcotics wing that she was trying to sell drugs in Tarahunase village near Rajanukunte, they said. During interrogation, she told police that she came to New Delhi on October 4, 2021, on a student visa to study at a college in Telangana state. But when verified, it was revealed that she was not enrolled in that particular college, a senior police officer said. "The woman claimed that she was unable to earn enough to lead a lavish life and so got involved in drug peddling along with her friend. She used to hide these MDMA crystals in new dress piece materials, transported them from Delhi to Bengaluru by bus and supplied it to local drug peddlers in Bengaluru," he said. A case has been registered

Study finds key drug shortages for diabetes, BP at rural health centres

A joint survey conducted by the ICMR and the WHO, along with other institutes, has revealed critical medicine shortages for managing diabetes and hypertension at rural health facilities, from sub-centres to sub-district hospitals, across 19 districts in seven states. The study has also found a shortage of specialists at the community health centre (CHC) level and these findings are similar to the rural health statistics report of 2020-21, indicating a shortfall of physicians (82.2 per cent) and surgeons (83.2.9 per cent) at the CHC-level. The study findings, published in the "Indian Journal of Medical Research (IJMR)" suggest that among public health facilities, PHCs, district hospitals and government medical colleges in India are better prepared to manage services for diabetes and hypertension. Across all the facilities, the domain score for equipment was the highest and for medicines, it was the lowest. However, the availability of all medicines was better at tertiary-care ...

Hypertension, anti allergy meds among 196 drugs flagged by CDSCO as NSQ

Monthly CDSCO alert identifies 196 batches of drugs as not of standard quality and flags one Deca-Durabolin injection as spurious and under investigation

US President Donald Trump's drug price slash could sting Indian pharma

Up to 80% US price cuts may squeeze margins, push up innovator drug costs

Australian cricketer Stuart MacGill spared jail time over supplying cocaine

Former Australian Test bowler Stuart MacGill was spared jail time and given a community service order when he appeared in court on Friday for sentencing over supplying cocaine. MacGill was convicted of supplying drugs for a deal between his regular supplier and his brother-in-law in April 2021. He appeared at Downing Centre District Court where a statement from former Test captain Steve Waugh supported his former colleague. MacGill was sentenced to an intensive corrections order of one year and 10 months. MacGill must complete 495 hours of community service work and undergo drug testing as part of the order, in lieu of a prison term. The former legspinner, who began using cocaine after he retired from cricket, was found guilty in March of supplying an indictable quantity of the drug. A jury determined the 54-year-old MacGill knew about the deal between his regular dealer and his brother-in-law but was oblivious to the fact a one-kilogram (2.2-pound) brick was changing hands. He was

CDSCO revises export NOC rules for new drugs; sets one-year validity

New CDSCO rules set one-year validity for export NOCs, fix seven-day timeline, and simplify process for unapproved and approved drugs meant solely for export

NPPA fixes retail prices of 84 drugs, including empagliflozin combos

The NPPA has fixed retail prices for 84 drug formulations, including 36 combinations of off-patent diabetes drug empagliflozin, after a steep drop in prices

India's pharma market grows 7.8% in April, led by chronic therapies

Chronic therapies and price increases drove 7.8 per cent growth in India's pharma market in April 2025, with cardiac and gastrointestinal segments showing double-digit value gains

Trump's 'Make in America' push: Indian drug cos in no rush to make US shift

Pharma industry veteran said that the US wanting to encourage local production is a very natural thing to do

Punjab targets to become drug-free by May 31; DGP asks officers to lead

Ending drugs trafficking by May 31: that's the ambitious target Punjab Police has set for itself with the force's chief directing all senior officers to firm up plans to cut narcotic supply lines effectively. Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav took the carrot and stick approach to ensure the deadline is met. He announced that Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) and Commissioners of Police (CPs) would be rewarded for their "good work" and held accountable if their performance was not up to the mark. Addressing reporters here, Yadav said Punjab will be made a drug-free state in the sense that the availability of narcotics on the streets is fully culled. The DGP emphasised the decision was a well-considered one and arrived at after Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann reviewed the ongoing anti-drug drive "Yudh Nashyan Virudh". "We have asked all field police officers -- the SSPs and CPs -- to lead this campaign from the front so that Punjab can be made drugs-free in the

Booster dose: India inches closer to regulatory framework for OTC drugs

DTAB has accepted sub-panel recommendation on OTC drugs list

Will doorstep medicine delivery end? Govt panel set to take a call soon

India's Drugs Technical Advisory Board will review the continuation of home medicine delivery, following objections from chemists' body AIOCD, which cites misuse by online platforms

Patent loss led to rise in prescriptions of new generation diabetes drugs

Experts say 85% price drop in empagliflozin expected to boost SGLT2 usage; SGLT-2 class of drugs account for 25-30% of all diabetes prescriptions

CDSCO flags spurious batch of Telma, 131 other drugs fail quality tests

One of the popular hypertension medication brands Telma 40 samples were found to be spurious in raids across locations

Govt restricts sale of anti-cold drug combination for children under 4 yrs

The FDC is also effective in treating symptoms like watery eyes, runny nose, sneezing and other discomforts

CDSCO halts manufacture, sale, distribution of 35 FDCs over safety concerns

The list of unapproved FDCs includes antidiabetics, antibiotics, painkillers, infertility medications and nutritional supplements