The drugs found to have failed quality tests include Paracetamol IP 500 mg, Pan-D (an antiacid), Vitamin B complex and Vitamin C softgels, Shelcal (Vitamin C and D3), the anti-diabetic drug Glimepiride, and the blood pressure medication Telmisartan.
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The Central Drugs Standards Control Organisation (CDSCO) has flagged over 50 commonly used drugs, including paracetamol, Pan-D, and calcium supplements, as “not of standard quality” (NSQ) in its latest monthly report. The alert follows random sampling conducted by state drug officers, which is a routine process aimed at ensuring drug quality. The drugs found to have failed quality tests include popular medications such as Paracetamol IP 500 mg, Pan-D (an antiacid), Vitamin B complex and Vitamin C softgels, Shelcal (Vitamin C and D3), the anti-diabetic drug Glimepiride, and the blood pressure medication Telmisartan.
The substandard drugs were manufactured by several prominent pharmaceutical companies, including Alkem Laboratories, Hindustan Antibiotics Limited (HAL), Hetero Drugs, Karnataka Antibiotics & Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Pure & Cure Healthcare, and Meg Lifesciences. The presence of these medications on the NSQ list calls for caution and further regulatory scrutiny to ensure patient safety.
Among the drugs listed as failing quality checks is Metronidazole, widely used to treat stomach infections, which was produced by the public sector unit Hindustan Antibiotic Limited (HAL). Shelcal, a popular calcium supplement manufactured by Pure & Cure Healthcare and distributed by Torrent Pharmaceuticals, also failed to meet the required standards.
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Notably, a drug-testing laboratory in Kolkata declared Alkem Health Science’s antibiotics Clavam 625 and Pan D as “spurious.” Additionally, Cepodem XP 50 Dry Suspension, a medication prescribed for children with severe bacterial infections, produced by Hyderabad-based Hetero, was identified as substandard by the same lab. Karnataka Antibiotics & Pharmaceuticals Ltd’s Paracetamol tablets were also flagged for quality issues.
