India drug alert: 330 medicine and surgical samples fail quality tests

A drug alert issued by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) and state laboratories has revealed that 330 medicine and surgical product samples failed to meet prescribed quality standards across India.

In Himachal Pradesh, 93 failed samples were identified, involving products from 73 companies in Solan, 18 in Sirmaur, and two in Una. The non-compliant items include treatments for fever, acidity, pain, cough, anemia, allergies, high blood pressure, malaria, and thyroid disorders, as well as surgical supplies like rolled bandages and adhesive tape.

Regulatory authorities are expected to initiate action under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. Affected batches will be recalled from the market, and independent testing will be conducted to address concerns regarding pharmaceutical manufacturing hubs such as Baddi, Barotiwala, Nalagarh, and Kala-Amb.