S Gopal Puri
The state’s major pharmaceutical manufacturing hub is facing intense regulatory pressure after official records revealed that 168 drug samples were declared “Not of Standard Quality” (NSQ) or “misbranded” over the past three financial years.
The alarming figures were disclosed in an Assembly Question and Answer submitted to the state’s Health and Family Welfare Minister on November 27, 2025.
Quality Crisis and Regulatory Crackdown
Out of a total of 12,034 drug samples collected and tested from the state’s 651 pharmaceutical manufacturing units, 168 failed to meet quality standards between FY 2023-24 and October 2025. The drugs were produced by firms across key industrial areas like Baddi, Nalagarh, and Kala Amb.
a recent alert from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) flagged 66 samples from 46 firms in the state, with one report noting that the region accounted for 31% of all substandard samples nationwide in that alert. The failed products include critical medicines for cancer, cardiac issues, high blood pressure, and antibiotics.
The State Drug Control Administration confirmed that action has been initiated against all manufacturers whose samples were declared substandard. Punitive measures have included the suspension of product permissions and, in some cases, the cancellation of manufacturing licenses.
