The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) recently reported critical issues in some drugs in India. In their November 2024 report, they raised two drugs as spurious and identified 111 other drugs as not of standard quality (NSQ). This brings up very important issues about the safety and quality of medicines being provided to the public.

Spurious drug identification

Pan D for stomach problems and Augmentin 625 Duo, which is an antibiotic, are the two drugs marked as spurious. These medicines were produced by unauthorized manufacturers using the original brand names without any kind of permission. It's dangerous because it can cause people to take harmful medicine or fake medicine rather than what they believe they're getting. The companies that own the brands claimed that they didn't produce those batches, therefore affirming that these are indeed spurious.

Not of standard quality drugs

Besides the spurious drugs, the CDSCO discovered that 111 drugs do not meet the quality standards. These medicines include lots of fixed-dose combinations (FDCs), such as hypertension medication Ozomet PG2 tablets from Ozone Pharmaceuticals. The list also features Cipla's Tofajak tablets for rheumatoid arthritis and Intas Pharma's chest pain medication Monit SR30 tablets. Many of these drugs were produced in places such as Ahmedabad, Himachal Pradesh’s Baddi, Puducherry, and Uttarakhand’s Haridwar and Roorkee. CDSCO tests these drugs and ensures they are safe for use and effective, yet these failed to meet the set standards.

Regulatory actions and surveillance

The CDSCO collects samples from pharmacies and other places where drugs are sold regularly to monitor drug safety. They analyze the samples to find out any unsafe or ineffective drugs. They have been working closely with state drug testing labs to improve reporting of such issues. Such teamwork helps in more identification and removal of unsafe drugs from the market.

Implications for public health

The Union Health Ministry emphasizes the importance of spurious and NSQ drug discovery in order to provide access to safe drugs to the people. Through better vigilance and improving regulation, the CDSCO seeks to protect public health against counterfeit medications. More information about these issues will come into the open through these ongoing investigations, and further action will be taken against the drug makers.
This makes the case why quality controls need to be very strong in the pharmaceutical industry. First and foremost, consumers have to be protected from any products that can harm them.