The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has flagged 50 lifesaving drugs produced in India, including widely used medications like Paracetamol 500 mg and various vitamin and calcium tablets, as sub-standard.
Among the drugs identified as sub-standard are Paracetamol 500 mg, the anti-hypertension drug Telmisartan, Cuftin cough syrup, Clonazepam tablets used for managing seizures, the pain relief drug Diclofenac, and several multi-vitamin and calcium supplements, reported Livemint.
Hindustan Times reported that 22 of these sub-standard drugs are manufactured in Himachal Pradesh. The state drug authority has issued notices to the pharmaceutical companies involved, instructing them to recall the entire batch of the affected drugs from the market.
"We have received an alert from CDSCO regarding the failed samples. Our drug inspectors regularly collect samples of medicines, and further action is taken against the offending pharmaceutical companies under the Cosmetic and Drug Act," said state drug controller Manish Kapoor.
Kapoor emphasized the importance of maintaining drug quality, noting, "One out of every three drugs produced in the country is manufactured in Himachal. The quality of these drugs cannot be compromised."
The CDSCO collected drug samples from various locations for testing, including Waghodia (Gujarat), Solan (Himachal Pradesh), Jaipur (Rajasthan), Haridwar (Uttarakhand), Ambala, Indore, and Hyderabad.
The Paracetamol 500 mg pills deemed sub-standard were manufactured by Askon Healthcare in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh.
Hindustan Times further detailed that the failed samples from Himachal Pradesh included medications for throat infection, high blood pressure, cancer, pain, bacterial infection, ulcers, cough, allergies, viral infections, acidity, pain relief, itching, and fever. Some of these drugs were found without labels, and a few were identified as counterfeit.