Sat May 24 16:21:14 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary of the provided text and a news article rewritten from it.
**Summary:**
The West Bengal government has banned 137 medicines found to be substandard, following a nationwide alert from the CDSCO regarding inferior drugs. This action is part of an ongoing crackdown on fake and low-quality medicines in the state, which has involved raids and seizures. The government has issued directives to retailers and wholesalers to verify the quality and source of their drug supplies. This follows a series of similar bans in recent days. Concerns about substandard drugs in West Bengal have been raised at the national level. The issue highlights systemic problems in drug regulation and the potential for profit-driven manufacturers to compromise quality. The government’s response follows public scrutiny after a recent death allegedly linked to substandard saline.
**News Article:**
**West Bengal Escalates Fight Against Substandard Medicines, Bans 137 Drugs**
**Kolkata, May 24, 2025** – The West Bengal Department of Health and Family Welfare has issued an order banning 137 medicines that failed to meet quality standards. This action follows a recent alert from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), which identified over 196 inferior drugs nationwide.
The ban represents the latest effort by the West Bengal government to combat the proliferation of fake and substandard medicines within the state. In recent months, multiple raids on drug warehouses have uncovered large quantities of compromised medications. Earlier this year, authorities seized approximately ₹17 lakh worth of counterfeit drugs in Howrah’s Amta area.
“Based on the list provided by CDSCO,” the government’s notification stated, “… all stakeholders are hereby directed to recall the batches of the products from the supply chain.” The notification also instructs medicine sellers to meticulously verify the licenses and GST numbers of their wholesalers. Wholesalers are instructed to ensure all medicines originate through the correct distrubution channels.
This latest ban follows similar actions taken earlier this week, with 25 drugs banned on May 19 and over 60 recalled on May 23. The banned medications include essential treatments for common ailments like hypertension and allergies.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has previously expressed concerns that substandard drugs are entering Bengal from neighboring states, emphasizing the need for increased vigilance and surprise inspections at medical facilities. The government also published a list of substandard drugs, to raise public awareness.
The issue of substandard medicines in West Bengal has also garnered national attention. BJP MP Samik Bhattacharya raised concerns in the Rajya Sabha, prompting the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to respond that over 106,000 drug samples have been tested in the past year, leading to legal action against 604 entities involved in the production and distribution of substandard drugs.
“The regulatory systems in India against drugs is very diluted,” commented Dr. Subarna Goswami, a senior doctor and public health administrator from Bengal. “They must restrict the price of drugs so that profit does not drive manufacturers to produce substandard medicines.”
The government’s response also comes in the wake of public outcry surrounding the death of a postpartum mother in January, allegedly caused by substandard Ringer Lactate saline from Paschim Banga Pharmaceuticals Pvt Ltd. The same drug has been banned in other States, including Karnataka.
First Piper 