Karnataka FSDA cancels 16 pharmacy licenses, suspends 8, including Pfizer depot

Health and Social Welfare Minister UT Khader. | Photo credit: File photo

The Karnataka Food Safety and Drugs Administration (FSDA) has canceled the licenses of 16 pharmaceutical retailers and wholesalers and suspended the licenses of eight others, including the license of multinational firm Pfizer’s warehouse in Nelamangala, in connection with an ongoing investigation into the alleged distribution and sale of spurious drugs.

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The action follows the department’s investigation into large-scale unlicensed repackaging and renaming of drugs unearthed at a farm in Bidadi in Bengaluru South district on August 18. FSDA seized fake drugs, machinery and printing materials worth ₹5.05 crore from the premises. When preliminary investigations revealed the potential involvement of a large network, the state government formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by IPS officer C. Vamsi Krishna.

Addressing the press on Sunday (September 20), Health Minister UT Khader said that the licenses of the suspected firms/pharmacies have been canceled and the licenses of several others have been suspended for non-cooperation with the SIT investigation. “We stopped Pfizer’s sales in the state because they were not cooperating with the investigation,” Mr. Khader said. He added that he could not reveal much about the case as the SIT was investigating.

The minister further emphasized that strict action will be taken against the persons named in the SIT report after investigation, no matter how powerful or influential they may be.

Asked where people should go for medicine in such a situation, Mr. Khader said, “Currently everything is original in government hospitals,” reiterating that medicines in government hospitals are safe.

Licenses revoked and suspended

According to a list shared by FSDA, the firms whose licenses have been revoked include Avesco Healthcare in Prabhakar Reddy Layout, Bengaluru Specialty Pharma in Shivajinagar, Museum Road in Chamarajpet; Patel Medi Trade in Jayanagar, NS Pharma in Hubballi and Sagar Pharma in Kumaraswamy Layout among others.

The firms whose licenses have been suspended include Sagar Pharma in Tilak Nagar, Surya Specialty Hospital in Bommasandra Industrial Area and Vivanta Pharmaceuticals in Jayanagar, among others.

In a press statement, the FSDA urged citizens to buy medicines from licensed pharmacies and with valid tax invoices. She also urged people to report suspicious packaging or broken QR codes on medicine labels.

what is it about

According to the FSDA, the accused were allegedly procuring cheap drugs from neighboring states, filling them in new bottles and rebranding them as expensive, life-saving drugs from multinational companies. The department also seized 30 boxes of expired drugs, injection filling machines, counterfeit labels and stamps.

The FSDA said the batch numbers and records of the seized drugs were blocked on its portal to prevent their resale or distribution. Samples were also sent for laboratory testing to verify their chemical composition, sterility and efficacy.

The department noted that the premises at Bidadi were being used for the manufacture, storage and distribution of drugs without a valid licence. A criminal case was registered under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.

Published – 20 Sep 2026 20:41 IST