Drug regulators crack down on companies making substandard medicines

These 76 firms are spread across 20 states and under phase 1 of the drive, 26 firms have also received show- cause notices. (Representative Image)

In a major crackdown on companies making spurious or substandard medicines in the country, Indian drug regulators have listed 76 firms across 20 states for action, cancelled product permission for three entities and cancelled or suspended manufacturing in 18 firms.

As part of the special drive by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation and state drug regulators, 203 firms had been identified and action has been taken against 76 of them which includes issuance of show cause notices to 26 companies.

Top level government sources said on March 28 that the drive, which has followed back to back incidents to some Indian drugmakers supplying adulterated drugs in other countries, will continue even after the current phase is over.

In August last year, Haryana based Maiden Pharmaceuticals had hit headlines internationally after the World Health Organization linked cough syrups supplied by it to the deaths of nearly 70 kids in Gambia.

The WHO had also issued an international drug alert against four of the company's cough syrups.

Few months later, Uzbekistan said that Uttar Pradesh-based Marion Biotech had supplied to the country syrups and mediciens laced with similar contamination.

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On March 27, the government informed the Lok Sabha that adulterated drugs had been supplied by Hyderabad-based Celon pharma to Yemen.

Himachal Pradesh leads the way

As per the details shared by the Union health ministry, the maximum - 70- number of drug manufacturing units identified for inspection are in Himachal Pradesh, the drug manufacturing hub of India.

Himachal Pradesh is followed by Uttarkhand (45), Madhya Pradesh (23) and Uttar Pradesh (20).

The other states where defaulting drug manufactures are located include West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Sikkim among others.