Thu Sep 26 17:54:16 UTC 2024: ## 53 Common Medicines Fail Quality Tests, Including Top Brands
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) has issued an alert flagging 53 commonly used medicines for failing quality tests. This includes popular brands such as Antacid Pan D, calcium supplement Shelcal, anti-diabetic drug Glimepiride, and high blood pressure drug Telmisartan.
The alert, which declared over 50 drugs as “Not of Standard Quality” (NSQ) or substandard, highlights the failure of essential medicines produced by major pharmaceutical companies including Torrent Pharma, Hetero Drugs, Alkem Laboratories, Hindustan Antibiotics Limited (HAL), and Karnataka Antibiotics & Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
Torrent Pharmaceuticals, who manufactures Shelcal, has disputed the CDSCO findings, claiming the tested sample was not genuine and was likely counterfeit. The company cited its robust quality control measures, including QR codes for authenticity verification, which were absent in the CDSCO sample.
The CDSCO has released two lists, one with responses from large pharmaceutical companies and another with the regular list of substandard drugs.
This news comes at a time of growing concern over the quality of pharmaceuticals in India. The CDSCO’s action underscores the importance of stringent quality control measures in the drug manufacturing industry.
First Piper 