Calcium, Vitamin D3 Tablets Among 47 Medications Failing CDSCO Quality Check: Is Your Medication Safe?
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has flagged 49 drugs that failed quality tests in its September report, including widely prescribed antibiotics, supplements, and pain relievers.
Medicines
CDSCO Flags 49 Pharmaceutical Products for Quality Issues in September Report
In its September quality control report, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) identified 49 pharmaceutical products failing to meet quality standards from nearly 3,000 drugs sampled across India. This routine monthly assessment is part of CDSCO’s mission to ensure the safety and efficacy of medicines available in the Indian market.
Quality Issues Among Common Medications
The list of substandard drugs includes well-known medicines like Hindustan Antibiotics' Metronidazole tablets, Rainbow Life Sciences' Domperidone tablets, and Pushkar Pharma's Oxytocin injections. Other flagged items include Metformin tablets by Swiss Biotech Parentarels, Life Max Cancer Laboratories' Calcium 500 mg with Vitamin D3 tablets, and PAN 40 by Alkem Labs. Paracetamol tablets produced by Karnataka Antibiotics & Pharmaceuticals Ltd. were also found to be below quality standards, raising concerns over the reliability of widely consumed medications.
According to the report, “Out of nearly 3,000 samples tested, 49 drugs were recalled for being less efficacious (NSQ),” translating to a failure rate of around 1.5%, underscoring the importance of consistent quality monitoring.
Counterfeit Products in the Spotlight
Additionally, the report flagged four drugs as “spurious,” including popular medications such as Shelcal 500 (a calcium supplement), Pan D (an antacid), Urimax-D (for enlarged prostate), and Deca-Durabolin 25 injection (for osteoporosis). These products were labelled counterfeit after the supposed manufacturers denied producing these batches. The CDSCO noted, “The impugned batch of the product has not been manufactured by them, and it is a spurious drug pending further investigation.”
CDSCO’s Commitment to Drug Safety
As part of its ongoing surveillance, CDSCO conducts systematic sampling and testing of medicines across distribution channels, publishing monthly findings on its portal to alert the public and stakeholders about NSQ drugs. CDSCO Chief Dr Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi emphasised the impact of such monitoring, stating, “Vigilant action by CDSCO significantly reduces the presence of less efficacious drugs in the market.”
In recent months, CDSCO has flagged over 50 drugs for quality issues, including treatments for diabetes, hypertension, bacterial infections, and acid reflux. Among these were products like Innova Captab Limited’s Nimesulide and Paracetamol tablets, Alkem Health’s Pantoprazole tablets, and Aristo Pharmaceuticals’ Cefpodoxime tablets.
Through batch-specific recalls, CDSCO aims to mitigate the risks posed by substandard and counterfeit drugs, reinforcing both safety and transparency in India’s pharmaceutical industry.
