In its most recent monthly report, the Central Drugs Standards Control Organization (CDSCO) labelled over fifty medications, including calcium supplements, Pan D, and paracetamol, as “not of standard quality,” raising questions about their use and safety.
The central drug regulator classified paracetamol, calcium and vitamin D supplements, blood pressure medication, and some anti-diabetes tablets as “Not of Standard Quality (NSQ Alert)” in its August 2024 report. State drug officers randomly sample the population each month to create NSQ notifications.
Vitamin C and D3 pills, Shelcal, vitamin B complex, vitamin C softgels, anti-acid Pan-D, IP 500 mg paracetamol tablets, Glimepiride, the anti-diabetic medication, and Telmisartan, the prescription for high blood pressure, are among the medications that did not pass the quality inspection.
Numerous businesses, including Hetero Drugs, Alkem Laboratories, Karnataka Antibiotics & Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Hindustan Antibiotics Limited (HAL), Pure & Cure Healthcare, and Meg Lifesciences, among others, were involved in the production of these goods.
A drug testing facility in Kolkata declared antibiotics such as Pan D and Clavam 625 to be bogus. A common pediatric infection drug called Cepodem XP 50 Dry Suspension was also tested in the same facility and was reported to CDSCO as failing the quality test.
Two lists, containing 48 medications that failed quality testing and five medications in the NSG Alert category, were released by CDSCO. Both listings included the makers’ responses.
Quality testing also revealed that metronidazole, a medication used frequently to treat stomach infections caused by HAL, did not pass. Shelcal, a well-known supplement containing calcium and vitamin D3, has also been labelled under the NSQ Alert category.