CDSCO found that many drugs did not pass the test.
The Central Drug Regulatory Authority has found that samples of four drugs, including the widely used calcium supplements Shelcal 500 and Pan D, are counterfeit. While the samples of 49 medicines were found not to be of standard quality.
In fact, in its monthly drug alert report for September, samples of 49 medications, including paracetamol, Pan D, calcium and vitamin D-3, have been declared false. Oxytocin, metronidazole and fluconazole have been included in the “poor quality” list.
Some of the batches of medicines that have been included in the ‘poor quality’ list are from companies like Alkem Health Science, Aristo Pharmaceuticals, Camilla Pharmaceuticals, Innova Captain, Hindustan Antibiotics and Ipca Laboratories.
Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi said regular inspections are carried out to reduce the percentage of drugs with low efficacy. He said that vigilant action and monitoring of drugs by the CDSCO (Central Drugs Standard Control Organization) leads to a huge reduction in the percentage of drugs with low efficacy.
Raghuvanshi said that out of around 3,000 samples tested, 49 drugs were asked to be recalled as they were found to be non-compliant with the standard (NSQ). Of the total samples, only 1.5 percent of the drugs were found to be less effective.
Just because a sample of a drug from a particular lot does not meet quality standards does not mean that all drugs sold under that name are of inferior quality. Only that specific batch is not considered of standard quality, an official source said.
The Central Drug Regulatory Authority, in its August report, classified as “poor quality” samples of more than 50 drugs, including paracetamol, Pan D, calcium and vitamin D3 and anti-diabetics.
