India’s drug regulator has flagged over 50 medications, including popular treatments for diabetes, blood pressure, and vitamins, for failing quality standards.

Among the list are well-known names like paracetamol, calcium, and vitamin D3 supplements.

The Central Drugs Standards Control Organisation (CDSCO) released its latest alert, identifying 53 drugs as “Not of Standard Quality” (NSQ). These findings stem from routine random sampling carried out by state drug officers.

Among the culprits are products from notable pharmaceutical companies such as Hetero Drugs, Alkem Laboratories, and Karnataka Antibiotics & Pharmaceuticals Ltd.

The flagged drugs include widely used medications like Shelcal, Glimepiride, Telmisartan, and the antibiotic Clavam 625.

One concerning failure is Metronidazole, a common treatment for stomach infections, manufactured by Hindustan Antibiotic Limited.

Paracetamol tablets from Karnataka Antibiotics & Pharmaceuticals also came under scrutiny for quality concerns.

Despite the alarming results, many pharmaceutical companies denied responsibility, claiming the batches in question were spurious.

The investigation is ongoing, with the companies pointing to counterfeit production as a possible explanation.

The NSQ list is just the latest in a series of quality control issues in India’s pharmaceutical industry. Last month, the CDSCO banned over 150 fixed-dose drug combinations, citing safety risks to the public.

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