In a stringent move to check on the quality of drugs being manufactured and distributed, officials have found 112 drug samples 'not of standard quality'.
According to health ministry officials, Central Drugs Laboratories found 52 samples that were not up to the quality standards and the State Drugs Testing Laboratories identified another 60 drug samples of the same category.
As per routine regulatory surveillance activity, the list of Not of Standard Quality (NSQ) and Spurious drugs is being displayed on the CDSCO portal on a monthly basis, reported PTI.
How are drug samples identified as NSQ?
As per officials, this is done based on the failure of the drug sample in one or more specified quality parameters.
Meanwhile, 24 children died recently after consuming Coldrif cough medicine made by Sresan Pharma, which tests showed contained the toxin diethylene glycol in quantities nearly 500 times the permissible limit.
Following this, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a health advisory warning about three contaminated cough syrups identified in India, urging authorities to report any detection of these medicines in their countries to the health agency.
Specific batches of Coldrif from Sresan Pharmaceutical, Respifresh TR from Rednex Pharmaceuticals and ReLife from Shape Pharma were mentioned by the WHO.
In response, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation informed that none of the contaminated medicines have been exported from India and there is no evidence of illegal export.