Face2News/Chandigarh
52 drugs at the central level and 60 drugs at the state level failed to meet quality standards in central and state-level labs across the country. The highest number of failed drugs were from Himachal Pradesh (49), followed by Gujarat (16), Uttarakhand (12), Punjab (11), and Madhya Pradesh (6), among other states.
Notices have been issued to the concerned pharmaceutical companies after the samples of the 11 drugs manufactured in Punjab failed the tests. The process of removing the affected batches of these drugs from the market has also been expedited.
The Punjab government had taken immediate action, not only on drugs manufactured in the state but also on the recently controversial cough syrup, Coldrif, which was linked to child deaths in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. The health department had banned its use, sale, and purchase in all government hospitals.
The government has ordered all medical stores, doctors, and hospitals to immediately surrender their stock of this syrup. This has raised a major question about the quality of medicines across the country. According to this report, a total of 112 drug samples failed quality testing, including 11 drugs manufactured in Punjab.
The highest number of failed drugs were from Himachal Pradesh (49), followed by Gujarat (16), Uttarakhand (12), Punjab (11), and Madhya Pradesh (6), among other states. Most shockingly, three cough syrups were also found to have failed the tests, one of which was counterfeit.
These drugs are used to treat serious diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, infections, pain, inflammation, anemia, and epilepsy. A few days ago, the Punjab government had banned the use of 8 drugs, including Coldrif cough syrup.
Now, following the CDSCO report, the process of removing the affected batches of these drugs from the market has been expedited. All medical stores, doctors, and hospitals have also been ordered to immediately surrender their stock of these drugs and provide safe alternatives to patients