186 samples fail nationwide in June drug alert; Solan, Sirmaur districts worst hit in Himachal
TNR News Network
Shimla: In a shocking revelation that underscores the alarming state of drug safety in the country, 186 medicine samples across India have failed quality tests, including 45 manufactured in Himachal Pradesh.
The findings, released in the June drug alert by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), have once again put the spotlight on loosely regulated pharmaceutical manufacturing hubs and the risks they pose to public health.
Himachal Pradesh, a major pharmaceutical manufacturing hub, has emerged as a hotspot of substandard drug production, with failed samples coming from companies based in Solan, Sirmaur and Una districts.
Solan accounts for 33 of failed samples
Solan alone accounted for 33 of these failed samples, while nine were from Sirmaur and three from Una.
Among the failed drugs are medications used to treat critical conditions such as antibiotics for fever and bacterial infections, injections used to reduce stomach acidity and treat gastric conditions, deworming tablets and painkillers.
Particularly concerning are failures in widely used antibiotics like azithromycin and ofloxacin, and essential medications such as iron syrups and antihypertensive injections.
Baddi company’s two samples fail simultaneously
A company based in Baddi has seen two samples fail simultaneously, one of which is Telmisartan, an injection administered for high blood pressure. Dutch Formulation, operating out of Kala Amb in Sirmaur, had three drugs flagged, including ofloxacin for infections and azithromycin, commonly prescribed for chest infections.
Paradox Pharmaceuticals in Nalagarh faced major quality issues, with four failed drug samples: two batches of azithromycin, one of amoxicillin (an essential antibiotic), and another used during gastric complications.
Meanwhile, Medipol Pharmaceuticals in Baddi has come under scrutiny for its painkiller Brufen and an iron supplement syrup.
State Drug Controller Manish Kapoor has confirmed that notices had been sent to the companies concerned and orders were being issued to withdraw the substandard batches from circulation. “We will ensure all unsafe stocks are recalled immediately and investigate the lapses in manufacturing standards,” Kapoor said.
