In its latest report for August 2024, the Central Drugs Standards Control Organisation (CDSCO) declared 53 drugs, including common medications like paracetamol and Pan D, as “not of standard quality” (NSQ).
The list includes essential medicines such as calcium supplements, high blood pressure drugs, anti-diabetes pills, and vitamins. The report has raised alarms about the safety of these widely-used products, as the medicines in question failed quality checks during random sampling by state drug officers.
Key Drugs Identified in the Report
Among the notable drugs flagged in the report are vitamin C and D3 tablets, calcium supplement Shelcal, vitamin B complex, anti-diabetic drug Glimepiride, and high blood pressure medication Telmisartan. The anti-acid drug Pan D and the antibiotic Clavam 625 were also among the medicines failing to meet the required standards. Metronidazole, a drug commonly used to treat stomach infections, was tested and flagged for poor quality. Several of these medicines are produced by leading manufacturers like Hetero Drugs, Alkem Laboratories, and Hindustan Antibiotics Limited.
Concerns Over Spurious Drugs
The CDSCO report also flagged spurious drugs, including Cepodem XP 50 Dry Suspension, a pediatric infection medicine, and Pulmosil, a product with disputed manufacturing origins. The manufacturers of Pulmosil claim that the flagged product batch was not produced by them and is likely a counterfeit drug, pending further investigation. The presence of spurious drugs in the market underscores concerns about counterfeit medicines posing severe health risks to the public.
Broader Concerns for Public Health
This report follows a ban by the CDSCO in August 2024 on over 156 fixed-dose drug combinations due to their potential risks to human health. The identification of substandard drugs in routine quality checks is a pressing issue, calling for enhanced regulation and stricter oversight to safeguard public health.
