PHARMA LITERATI

Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has detected cases of leading brands in the country promoting skin creams as OTC drugs for treatment of skin ailments through self-medication in violation of labelling conditions of the Drugs and Cosmetic Rules, 1945 .  The state regulator is planning to take action against the companies as provisioned under Rule 106 to be read along with Schedule J and Section 18 (6). Stocks worth over Rs.70, 000 have already been seized from retailers in Mumbai alone. State regulator had earlier seized such steroid-laden creams from different locations in the state and detected two such cases in the past of products UB Fair for men and No Scars cream for women contain steroids like fluocinolon acetonid and mometasone along with skin bleaching agents. According to a senior FDA official, these skin creams violate the labeling conditions of the Drug Rules and make false claims of making a person fair despite the fact that they are ...

A truly inspirational story about an OCT healthcare company called Lifezen by 26-year-old Rohan Siroya.   The concept of an over-the-counter (OTC) healthcare company isn’t new in the western world, where regulatory bodies have made it simple and streamlined for companies in the space. In India, this concept is just about picking up; Lifezen happens to be a startup in this space. Started in September 2015, Lifezen has three product offerings focussed on different therapeutic segments – Eyespa , an OTC eye drop that focuses on the problem of dry eyes; Tuskca , a citrate-based calcium supplement, which can be consumed independent of meals; and Wonderpro , will soon be launched in the coming months. It is a multi-spectrum probiotic and prebiotic combination for a good gut. It is a diary-free, non-refrigerated product. The eventual goal is to raise awareness about symptoms that often go ignored, with innovative offerings that are simple, yet significantly improve life qua...