As many as 51 medicines, including cough syrups, manufactured in Himachal’s pharmaceutical industries have failed to meet quality protocols as per the investigations undertaken by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).
They were among 167 medicine samples which failed quality parameters from across various states and were listed in the monthly alert issued last evening.
Six cough and cold syrups were found lacking in quality protocols due to inadequacies in assay, pH and other technical parameters while in several injections samples, deficiencies related to particulate matter, considered serious defects from a patient safety perspective, were detected.
They not only hit the efficacy of a medicine but defy patient’s confidence in reliable healthcare.
Inadequacies were also detected in commonly used medicines like tablets, syrups, nasal sprays, drops, creams and injections, raising questions over their manufacturing protocols.
These drugs were reportedly manufactured in the state’s industrial areas of Baddi-Nalagarh, Barotiwala, Solan, Sansarpur Terrace, Kala Amb, Paonta Sahib, Parwanoo, and Una.
The highest number of cases reported in the drug alert report involved tablets with several batches failing dissolution tests which meant that the drug failed to dissolve in the body in a timely manner and produce the desired effect.
Furthermore, several samples contained lower or higher levels of the drug than recommended, while some also exhibited defects in disintegration, thus affecting its medicinal properties.
Commonly used medicines for high blood pressure, heart and cholesterol, allergies and asthma, antibiotics, pain and fever, acidity, neurology, worm infestation, calcium deficiency, and children’s coughs and colds have defied quality much to the concern of patients.
The CDSCO has, however, clarified that the action was part of the regular regulatory monitoring process, under which the list of NSQ and counterfeit medicines is made public on the portal every month so that suspected medicines present in the market can be identified and removed in a timely manner.
Stepping up its regulation, State Drugs Controller Manish Kapoor stated that notices are being issued to the respective pharmaceutical companies with immediate recall of the failed batches from the market.
Besides a detailed investigation is being initiated by field officials. The State Drug Controller clarified that patient safety will not be compromised in any way and strict action will be taken against those violating quality standards.