TNR
Shimla: Quality concerns have surfaced over commonly used medicines for heart ailments, diabetes and fever after drug regulators found 200 samples across the country, including 47 manufactured in Himachal Pradesh, failing to meet prescribed standards.
Among the medicines that did not clear quality checks are paracetamol for fever, clopidogrel and aspirin used in heart attack management, metformin for diabetes, ramipril for cardiac patients, sodium valproate for epilepsy and mebeverine hydrochloride prescribed for muscle spasms.
Samples lifted by CDSCO, state regulator
The samples were lifted in November by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) and the state drug controller. While the CDSCO tested 65 samples, the state authority drew 135, of which 47 were declared substandard.
District-wise, Solan accounted for the highest number with 28 failed samples, followed by Sirmaur with 18 and Una with one. Notices have been issued to all the manufacturing units concerned.
Major firms, popular formulations flagged
In Sirmaur’s Kala Amb industrial area, Athens Life Sciences had five formulations fail quality tests, including Rimipris, Glimepiride, Methaprid, Nisodone and Ketorolac tablets. Other flagged products include gentamicin sulphate injection by Martin & Brown Biosciences (Nalagarh), cefixime tablets by Shriramett Industries (Baddi), ramiprazole sodium and domperidone SR capsules by Biocolic Remedies (Sirmaur), glimepiride by Wings Biotech (Baddi) and clarithromycin by Plena Remedies (Baddi).
Additional failures include metformin hydrochloride by Preet Remedies (Baddi), telmisartan by a Manpura-based firm, ambroxol HCl syrup by Ceflix Life Sciences (Paonta Sahib), ramipril tablets by Formaroots Healthcare (Barotiwala), paracetamol by Shivani Pharmaceuticals (Baddi) and combination painkillers from units in Solan and Una.
Notices issued, action to follow
State Drug Controller Manish Kapoor said companies whose samples failed would be directed to recall stocks from the market. “Notices have been issued and action will be taken strictly as per rules,” he said, adding that compliance and patient safety would remain the priority.
Regulators said follow-up inspections and further testing would be conducted to ensure substandard medicines do not reach consumers.
