Over 50 Drugs, Including Paracetamol, Found ‘Not of Standard Quality,’ Reports Central Drug Regulator

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) has raised alarms regarding the quality of 53 pharmaceutical products, including widely used medications such as Paracetamol and Pan D. This recent quality control assessment highlights concerns about the safety and effectiveness of these drugs, underscoring the importance of rigorous testing in the pharmaceutical industry.

List of substandard drugs identified by CDSCO, including Paracetamol and Pantoprazole. (Representational image: IE)

CDSCO regularly conducts evaluations to ensure that medications meet established safety and quality standards. The latest report identifies several drugs as “not of standard quality” (NSQ), indicating they do not conform to the required norms.

Among the drugs flagged in the report are Paracetamol IP 500 mg, Vitamin B complex, Telmisartan, Shelcal Vitamin C and D3, along with various formulations of Vitamin C and B complex softgels. Other notable mentions include Rifmin 550, Nimesulide with Paracetamol and Chlozoxazone tablets, Ciprofloxacin Tablets I.P 500 mg, Amoxycillin & Potassium Clavulanate Tablets (Mexclav 625), and Metformin Hydrochloride sustained release Tablets IP (Glycimet-SR-500).

A laboratory in Kolkata has specifically highlighted Alkem Health Science’s antibiotics, Pan D and Clavam 625, as "spurious." The lab also reported that Cepodem XP 50 Dry Suspension, which is often prescribed for bacterial infections in children and manufactured by Hetero in Hyderabad, was deemed substandard.

The findings from this quality control check prompt a critical evaluation of the pharmaceutical supply chain and the measures in place to ensure drug safety for consumers.