Piramal, Tetmosol, and DHFL: The Itch of Conscience-less “Conscious” Capitalism
Piramal, Tetmosol, and DHFL: The Itch of Conscience-less “Conscious” Capitalism
Posted on 30th September, 2025 (GMT 07:45 hrs)
ABSTRACT
This petition-letter addresses the ethical, medical, and financial practices of the Piramal Group, linking the continued marketing of Tetmosol (containing Monosulfiram) — an obsolete, unapproved, and potentially harmful dermatological product absent from global pharmacopoeia — with the structural injustices of the DHFL resolution that allegedly stripped ordinary depositors of their life savings. By highlighting toxicity concerns, regulatory loopholes, misleading advertisements, and the export of outdated drugs to vulnerable populations in the Global South, the letter frames Tetmosol as a metaphor for systemic exploitation: superficial relief masking deeper harm, profit extracted from public vulnerability, and corporate narratives of “conscious capitalism” greenwashing exploitation in both health and finance. It calls for urgent regulatory review by CDSCO, WHO, and international agencies, demands alignment with global treatment standards, and urges cross-sectoral accountability where medical and financial mis-selling are recognized as analogous public harms requiring restitution.
Disclaimer:
This letter is a public-interest communication intended for activism, democratic dissent, awareness, advocacy, and regulatory scrutiny. It reflects the author’s interpretations, concerns, and reliance on publicly available sources. No statement herein is intended to constitute medical advice, legal advice, or a definitive claim of misconduct. Product references (e.g., Tetmosol/Monosulfiram) are discussed in the context of published medical literature and reported regulatory standards. Recipients are requested to treat this as a petition for review and not as a substitute for professional or regulatory determinations.
Prologue
At the time of writing, I rely on Tetmosol to soothe the persistent dermatological irritation that mirrors a deeper psychological torment: the loss of my lifetime savings as a DHFL depositor. My dermatologist calls it a psychosomatic response; I call it a chronic itch of injustice. Yet, even the water I use to wash away this irritation is tainted—polluted by ripples I can trace only metaphorically, like the long, unseen effects of corporate and political actions. Every drop reminds me that the infrastructure of care—financial, medical, environmental—is compromised.
Curiously, I wonder at the methods employed by Paramavaiṣṇava Śrī Śrīla Ajay Piramal to allegedly satisfy the itching palms of those who profited from DHFL: superficial gestures that cloak deeper extraction, donations through unconstitutional Electoral Bonds, opaque contributions to PM CARES, and a documented nexus with political machinery that transforms democratic processes into instruments of crony capitalism. Meanwhile, the official correspondence I receive—identical, copy-pasted, repetitive—declares a “final stand” with regard to the resolution of the DHFL victims’ “final amounts”, yet each line inadvertently exposes systemic failures.
Occupation before adjudication, philanthrocapitalist gestures in lieu of accountability, and legal theatrics aimed at silencing dissent—all converge into a paradox: the very mechanisms designed to protect the citizen now serve as tools of oppression. This prologue is not merely an introduction but a mirror: reflecting both my own helplessness and the structural cruelty of corporate-political collusion. It is a meditation on docile, itching bodies and the satisfied, itching palms that exploit them—an opening to the questions, evidence, and petitions that follow.
To:
Mr. Ajay Piramal (CBE),
Chairman,
Piramal Group
Subject: Monosulfiram, and the Itch of Conscience-less “Conscious” Capitalism ⤡
“लाभनम् श्रेयः आरोग्यम्“
“Among all profits, cure is the highest good.” (Mahābhārata, Vana Parva)
Dear Mr. Piramal,
An itch is not cured by scratching, but by removing its aetiology.
I write to you not merely as a categorized consumer or patient, but as a DHFL victim, whose life savings were allegedly/reportedly consumed by the Piramal Group’s “resolution plan.” The itch of that injustice persists: raw, unhealed, scratching deeper with every passing day. When I look at Piramal Pharma’s continued advertised promotion of Tetmosol soap, I see the same structure repeating — A superficial balm masking deeper wounds, a cycle of exploitation disguised as care through propaganda machinery. Celebrity endorsements by figures like Ajay Devgn or Manoj Bajpayee, without being physicians, risk creating the false impression of medical authority, blurring the line between entertainment and healthcare communication.
1. Tetmosol Soap Ingredients
Tetmosol is a medicated soap produced by Piramal Pharma, primarily used to treat skin infections such as scabies, lice, itching, rashes, and redness. Its key active ingredient is Monosulfiram (5% w/w), which acts as a scabicide to kill mites and prevent infections.Based on product details from official and pharmacy sources, the full list of ingredients includes:
| Ingredient | Role/Purpose |
|---|---|
| Monosulfiram (5% w/w) | Active ingredient; fights skin infections, relieves itching and sores |
| Sodium Tallowate | Soap base (derived from tallow fats) |
| Sodium Cocoate | Soap base (derived from coconut oil) |
| Water (Aqua) | Solvent and hydrator |
| Glycerin | Humectant; keeps skin moisturized |
| Fragrance (Parfum) | Adds scent (mild lime/citronella-like fragrance) |
| Sodium Chloride | Thickener and stabilizer |
| Sodium Hydroxide | pH adjuster (used in soap making) |
| Tetrasodium Etidronate | Chelating agent; prevents soap scum |
| Titanium Dioxide | Opacifier and colorant (white pigment) |
| CI 47005 (Yellow 10) | Colorant (yellow tint) |
| Citronella Oil | Natural fragrance and mild antimicrobial |
2. Monosulfiram: An Obsolete Molecule in a Contemporary Market
Monosulfiram, the active ingredient in Tetmosol, is a derivative of disulfiram. Once used for scabies, it has been phased out globally due to availability of safer and more effective alternatives.
Absence from global standards: Monosulfiram is absent from the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines, never approved by the US FDA or European Medicines Agency (EMA).
Toxicity concerns: Case reports in dermatological literature document contact dermatitis, skin irritation, and rare neurotoxic reactions. These risks, though not universal, explain why Western pharmacopeia abandoned it. The Tetmosol formulation also contains agents such as sodium silicate, sodium carbonate, and sodium chloride, which act as stabilizers and alkalizers but can cause skin dryness, irritation, and exacerbation of eczema in sensitive individuals. Its soap base with surfactants strips natural oils from skin, leading to further barrier damage in already compromised scabies patients.
Safer alternatives exist: Today, permethrin (topical) and ivermectin (oral) are considered the global gold standards for scabies management.
Yet, your Piramal Pharma continues to market Tetmosol aggressively across the once colonized India and Africa by a CBE-awarded business tycoon. The residual markets of the so-called Global South become laboratories of exploitation, where obsolete molecules survive because the bodies of the poor are deemed less deserving of safety.
3. Exploiting Loopholes: From Soap to “Medicine”
Tetmosol sits in a regulatory grey zone:
- Categorized as a “medicated soap,” in India, it escapes the strict advertising controls applied to prescription drugs.
- Advertisements blur boundaries — promoting Tetmosol for “scabies, itching, rashes, skin infections” — thereby inviting self-diagnosis and misuse for conditions like eczema, fungal infections, acne, and dermatitis.
- Misuse delays proper treatment, worsens suffering, and creates a false sense of relief.
This is not just regulatory negligence; it appears to be a systemic exploitation of public vulnerability. The pattern mirrors what reportedly happened in the DHFL collapse: rules bent, oversight softened, and public trust commodified.
3. From Skin to Savings: The Itch as Metaphor
The parallel between Tetmosol and the DHFL takeover is not accidental; it is structural.
- Superficial relief, hidden harm: Tetmosol calms itching without addressing the root disease. Piramal’s DHFL plan allegedly soothed regulators while depositors were abandoned.
- Profit from vulnerability: Tetmosol thrives on the ignorance of the poor. The DHFL resolution has allegedly been thriving on the powerlessness of small depositors.
- Greenwashed narratives: Tetmosol is sold under the guise of “family protection.” The DHFL takeover was sold as “conscious capitalism.” Both cloak exploitation with benevolence (?).
- The itch of conscience vs. itching palms: Patients scratch in vain for relief, just as depositors scratch for justice. Meanwhile, regulators’ itching palms are reportedly oiled by crony corporate interests.
Both cases expose a chronic condition — exploitation recurring until the system itself is treated. Perhaps what we, as DHFL victims, truly need are self-help books (like the above) of our own—manuals to serve ourselves better, since no institution will.
4. Policy and Ethical Demands
To prevent this cycle of “itching without cure,” I demand:
(a) Medical Accountability
- A CDSCO review of Tetmosol’s continued approval in India.
- Restrictions on advertising claims to prevent off-label consumer misuse.
- Alignment with WHO pharmacological standards — phasing out obsolete molecules in favour of permethrin/ivermectin.
- Establishment of an independent pharmacovigilance audit into adverse effects of Tetmosol, akin to financial audits.
(b) Corporate Accountability
- Recognition that your conduct across pharma and finance allegedly/reportedly/possibly reflects the same ethos: capitalism without conscience.
- An inquiry into the double standards of exporting apparently cutting-edge pharmaceuticals abroad while selling obsolete or risky products domestically.
- Cross-sector regulatory mechanisms where medical mis-selling and financial mis-selling are treated as analogous harms requiring restitution.
5. Conclusion: Beyond Soap, Beyond Savings
Tetmosol is not merely a bar of soap. It is the foamy residue of a system that monetizes vulnerability — whether dermatological or financial. Just as an itch cannot be cured by scratching alone, injustice cannot be resolved by cosmetic corporate gestures.
Until you are held accountable — in both pharma and finance — the itch will persist. Patients will itch. Depositors will itch. Citizens will itch. But regulators and corporations, with itching palms, will continue to scratch themselves rich.
I submit this letter not merely as a grievance but as a policy petition: for the WHO and CDSCO, and allied agencies to act, and for Piramal Pharma to answer for both its medicines and its morality.
Hypothetically Yours,
Debeprasad (sic) Sadhan (patriarchal insertion?!) Bandopadhyay (sic),
A DHFL Victim and Citizen of Itching Conscience
Annexure: Fact-Sheet on Tetmosol and Piramal Group Practice
1. Monosulfiram – Regulatory and Medical Status
- Absence from Global Standards
- Not listed on the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines (latest 2023 revision).
- Never approved by the US FDA or European Medicines Agency (EMA).
- Global Phase-Out
- Monosulfiram was largely replaced in Europe in the 1980s–1990s by safer, more effective scabicides such as permethrin (topical) and ivermectin (oral).
- In high-income countries, it is considered obsolete and is no longer available.
- Toxicity Evidence
- Dermatology literature (Indian Journal of Dermatology, Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, etc.) reports cases of contact dermatitis, urticaria, and neurotoxic effects following Monosulfiram use.
- Known to cause skin irritation if applied for conditions other than scabies.
- Misuse delays correct treatment of fungal infections, eczema, and bacterial skin diseases.
2. Tetmosol Soap – Marketing and Misuse
- Label vs. Advertisement
- Officially indicated for scabies and pediculosis (lice).
- Advertised widely for “itching, rashes, infections, irritation” — encouraging off-label use.
- Regulatory Loophole
- Categorized as a “medicated soap”, not a prescription drug.
- Escapes stricter Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act scrutiny.
- Market Geography
- Aggressively sold in India, Nigeria, Ghana, and East Africa, regions with poor dermatological infrastructure.
- Barely present in Europe/US, where regulatory approval is absent.
3. Ethical and Policy Issues
- Double Standards:
- Mr. Piramal exports seemingly cutting-edge formulations abroad, while continuing to push obsolete molecules at home.
- Creates a two-tier pharmaceutical system: safe drugs for Western bodies, outdated drugs for Global South bodies.
- Greenwashing of Care:
- Markets Tetmosol as a “family protection soap” while knowing its medical limitations.
- Mirrors Piramal Group’s financial branding in the DHFL takeover, advertised as “resolution with conscience” while depositors were left uncompensated.
4. DHFL Takeover – Parallels of Exploitation
- Background
- In 2021, Piramal Capital & Housing Finance acquired DHFL under the IBC framework.
- Depositors (especially fixed deposit holders) lost the bulk of their investments.
- Pattern with Tetmosol
- Superficial rescue, hidden harm: marketed as a savior while inflicting deeper loss.
- Profit from vulnerability: took over DHFL assets at a discount, just as it profits from poor patients buying Tetmosol.
- Branding without substance: “Conscious Capitalism” in finance, “Medicated Soap” in pharma — both cloaks for exploitation.
5. Policy Recommendations
1. Medical Regulation
o CDSCO to conduct a safety and efficacy review of Monosulfiram products.
o Ban misleading advertisements suggesting Tetmosol cures rashes, infections, or general itching.
o Align Indian dermatological treatment protocols with WHO-recommended permethrin and ivermectin.
2. Cross-Sectoral Regulation
o Treat medical mis-selling and financial mis-selling under the same umbrella of public harm.
o Mandate independent audits — pharmacovigilance for medicines, forensic audits for finance.
3. International Oversight
o WHO and allied agencies to review pharmaceutical double standards in Global South markets.
o Consider Monosulfiram under the framework of obsolete / harmful molecules still in circulation.
This annex is submitted as supporting evidence to the main letter, to assist regulators and authorities in evaluating the reported/alleged dual public harms perpetuated by Piramal Group — in medicine and in finance.
COPY TO:
- Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), India
- World Health Organization (WHO), Geneva
- US FDA / European Medicines Agency (EMA)
- Shri A.H. Laddhad, The Hon’ble Prothonotary and Senior Master, Bombay High Court (With reference to Case No. S/42/2025)
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