A significant number of medicines manufactured in Himachal Pradesh have failed to meet the required quality standards. This distressing information comes to light as part of an extensive testing project that the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) carried out in March, carefully evaluating 931 samples.
In a sense, there was a little relief when it was discovered that 864 of the samples that were examined met the required standards. On the other hand, the concerning finding is that 66 samples did not fulfill the quality requirements. An additional cause of worry was the discovery that one sample had been incorrectly identified, which raised serious concerns about the effectiveness and safety of many drugs on the market.
The drug alert that the CDSCO sent on Tuesday was a clear reminder of how important strict quality control procedures are in the pharmaceutical sector. The seriousness of the matter is highlighted by this alert, which calls for quick action to address the inequalities found.
Among the failed samples, two batches are of Foxygen-200 and 550 from Legan Healthcare from Parwanoo, alongside the Astriparin injection from Astrica Health Care in Baddi. Moreover, medications including Pardic-SP tablet, Mentor LC tablet, and Acemetil-SP, produced by various pharmaceutical companies across Himachal Pradesh, have been analyzed as substandard, raising concerns about the safety of public health.
The list of substandard medications also includes products from well-known pharmaceutical companies, including Pharma Industry of Kala Amb Sirmaur, Biolatus Pharmaceutical, and Sigma Softgels & Formulation. Medications like Tel Verge H, Opisoprot-200, Axiflo-OZ pill, and Saluzinc-20 stand out among them, highlighting how common the problem is.
The State Drug Controller has taken action by sending show-cause notices to the relevant companies in response to the concerning results. These warnings emphasize the need for immediate corrective action and order the immediate recall of the substandard products.
Some examples of failed samples are the Tripod-200 from the Cytec Medicare industry, the Alerno tablet from Kala Amb, and the Flutol tablet from Baddi's Fargen Healthcare industry. These instances are tragic examples of how urgent it is to overcome gaps in quality control in the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry.
The pharmaceutical sector needs to make a note when it was revealed that 20 medications from Himachal Pradesh did not exceed quality criteria. It highlights the urgent need for enhanced vigilance and regulatory oversight to ensure the safety and efficacy of medications reaching consumers. As stakeholders work towards addressing these challenges, a renewed commitment to quality assurance is essential to protecting public health.
(Input from various media sources)
(Rehash/ Susmita Bhandary/MSM)
