Over 50 drugs fail to qualify quality standards in India including renowned pain-killers such as paracetamol and supplements. The Central Drugs Standards Control Organisation tested the drugs. The drug alert by CDSCO of August 2024 called out the drugs as “Not of Standard Quality” (NSQ). Random samples were conducted by state drug officers across a number of labs.
As many as 53 popular medicines failed the quality test for CDSCO. It includes paracetamol, calcium, and vitamins D3 supplements. Even drugs related to high blood pressure like Telmisartan did not pass the quality standards. Anti-diabetic drugs Glimepiride did not clear the standards for quality. Vitamin C and D3 supplement names Shelcal was also amongst them.
Vitamin B complex and vitamin C soft gels were also in the list of “drugs fail to qualify quality standards in India”. Pan-D, an anti-acid drug was of inferior quality. Among the major Companies Alkem Laboratories and Hetero Drugs were reported. Karnataka Antibiotics & Pharmaceuticals Ltd was also there in the list.
In other categories, drugs manufactured from Hindustan Antibiotics Limited failed to pass the quality test. Metronidazole, the anti-stomach infection medicine also failed in the quality test. Shelcal marketed by Torrent Pharmaceuticals was found adulterated. Clavam 625 antibiotic, prepared by Alkem Health Science, was alleged to be spurious.
Drugs fail to qualify quality standards in India: Various companies under threat
Pan-D by Alkem Health Science too received a failing quality check. Cepodem XP 50 Dry Suspension, which is used for paediatric drugs was categorized as sub standard. Paracetamol by Karnataka Antibiotics & Pharmaceuticals Ltd. also failed the test.
CDSCO had put out two lists of failed drugs. One with 48 drugs categorized as being sub-standard. Another list included five additional drugs for which manufacturers provided responses to the notice. Some batches were identified as spurious by the manufacturer itself. Further investigation will be done about the spurious drugs.
CDSCO banned 156 fixed-dose drug combinations in August 2024. Several risks for humans were associated with these banned drugs. Banned medicines had various fever medicines inside the list. As the drugs fail to qualify quality standards in India the CDSCO was under pressure due to the safety and efficacy of these medicines. The failed medicines have questioned the drugs concerning their consequences on patients’ health.
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