Counterfeit medicines: Congress MP Jebi Mather Hisham seeks Centre's probe into Kerala's drug control

New Delhi: Congress MP Jebi Mather Hisham on Thursday launched a blistering attack on Kerala's drugs control department in the Rajya Sabha, alleging that recent raids across the state have exposed a flood of spurious and substandard medicines in the market, triggering a sharp rebuttal from CPI(M) MP John Brittas.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Hisham said raids conducted in Kozhikode, Thrissur and Thiruvananthapuram have "revealed a shocking truth" about the extent of counterfeit medicines circulating in Kerala's pharmaceutical market.

"This is not a small lapse. These raids expose the utter failure and shameful inefficiency of the state's drug control department. Its negligence has allowed an unregulated network of manufacturers and marketing companies to push substandard medicines from outside Kerala," the Congress MP said.

While acknowledging that the problem extends beyond Kerala and represents "an alarming surge of counterfeit medicine across the country," Hisham focused her criticism on what she termed the state government's failure to check the menace.

The Congress MP also flagged serious deficiencies in the state's healthcare infrastructure. She cited Dr Harris of Trivandrum Medical College, who was allegedly forced to reveal the shortage of basic surgical tools publicly.

"Surgeries are postponed indefinitely. Operation theatres remain idle due to a lack of maintenance and supplies," Hisham said.

She claimed doctors' concerns were being repeatedly ignored, forcing patients to purchase surgical items out of their own pockets. "This is not an administrative or system error. This is complete misgovernance," she charged.

Hisham also referred to the tragic building collapse at Kottayam Medical College that claimed lives, describing it as "a painful symbol of the collapse of the healthcare system" under the Left Democratic Front government. As she began to name Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the Chair intervened.

The Congress MP urged the central government to direct the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation to conduct a comprehensive probe of Kerala's drugs control department "to restore transparency and ensure the safety and quality of medicines across the state."

Her remarks drew immediate protest from CPI(M) MP John Brittas, who raised a point of order under Rule 258. "No member can mislead the House. All spurious medicines were produced elsewhere and brought to Kerala," Brittas said, crediting the state government's efficiency in detecting the counterfeit drugs.

Brittas objected to what he called "nasty aspersions" on the Chief Minister and demanded that those remarks be expunged from the record. "Please delete that," he told the Chair.

The Chair assured the House: "I will look into it."