The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has revealed that 49 medications did not meet quality standards in its latest quality report for September. This assessment covered nearly 3,000 drug samples across India, with the primary goal of identifying and removing substandard medicines to safeguard public health.
Popular Drugs Fail to Meet Standards
Several widely-used drugs, including antibiotics, supplements, and pain relievers, were flagged as Not of Standard Quality (NSQ). Notable mentions include Metronidazole tablets, Domperidone tablets, and Oxytocin injections, along with Metformin tablets, Calcium with Vitamin D3 tablets, and Paracetamol tablets. This discovery has heightened concerns about the effectiveness and safety of commonly prescribed medications.
A CDSCO spokesperson said, "Out of nearly 3,000 samples tested, 49 drugs were recalled as they were found to be less efficacious." This amounts to a failure rate of around 1.5%, underscoring the need for sustained vigilance in drug quality control.
Spurious Products Flagged for Investigation
Additionally, the CDSCO identified four medications as "spurious," which included widely used drugs such as Shelcal 500 (a calcium supplement), Pan D (an antacid), Urimax-D (for enlarged prostate), and Deca-Durabolin 25 injection (used in osteoporosis treatment). The manufacturers listed on these products’ labels reportedly denied making these specific batches, leading CDSCO to flag them as counterfeit, pending further investigation.
The CDSCO clarified, "The actual manufacturer has informed that the impugned batch of the product has not been manufactured by them and that it is a spurious drug."
CDSCO's Ongoing Efforts to Ensure Drug Safety
To minimize the presence of non-standard quality (NSQ) drugs, CDSCO conducts monthly quality checks, which include sampling and testing at various sales points across the country. The results are published on CDSCO’s portal to inform the public and stakeholders about any recalled drugs.
Dr. Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, CDSCO Chief, emphasized the importance of routine vigilance, saying, "Vigilant action and monitoring of drugs by CDSCO drastically bring down the percentage of less efficacious drugs." He added that only a small percentage of drugs sampled each month fail to meet the set standards.
In previous months, CDSCO identified over 50 drugs that failed quality tests, including treatments for diabetes, hypertension, bacterial infections, and acid reflux. Drugs like Nimesulide, Pantoprazole, Cefpodoxime, and Amoxicillin were among those flagged for quality concerns.
Through consistent checks and by publishing reports for public access, CDSCO is actively working to promote safety, transparency, and accountability within India's pharmaceutical industry.
Here's the Full List of 48 Drugs That Failed Quality Tests, Check Here...
