15 of 27 substandard drugs from Himachal

Ambika Sharma

Solan, June 14

Fifteen drug samples from the state, including four from Cyper Pharma, which was sealed in March for spurious drug production in Baddi, are among 27 drugs declared substandard nationally by the Central Drugs Regulator in the monthly drug alert issued today.

One found spurious

• 1,302 drug samples were drawn from different states
• 1,274 were found conforming to the quality standards
• 27 were declared substandard, one was found spurious

The authorities had drawn 1,302 drug samples from different states. Among these, 1,274 were found conforming to the quality standards, 27 were declared substandard while one was found spurious.

Four drug samples of Cyper Pharma Cefixime and Ofloxacin tablets, Doxycycline and Lactic Acid Bacillus capsules, Chlorpheniramine Maleate tablets and Loperamide Hydrochloride tablets used for treating common ailments like typhoid fever and urinary tract infections, bacterial infection, allergy and diarrhoea, have been declared substandard. They lack the requisite assay content, which is the active ingredient, in a drug and also failed the dissolution test. Both factors severally affect the efficacy of the drugs.

A Paonta Sahib-based firm is consistently figuring in the list of substandard drugs for the past two years. Action is awaited against this firm.

Officials of the Drugs Control Administration had sealed Cyper Pharma at Gullerwala in Baddi in March after the seizure of unauthorised drugs manufactured in the names of other firms. A Varanasi-based special task force had earlier seized spurious drugs manufactured in the firm worth crores of rupees.

Other drugs which have been declared substandard from various firms are

Monamox-Cl, Nimesulide and Paracetamol tablets, Spasom-40 capsules, Amoxicillin capsules, Misoprostol and Clavam tablets, Heparin Sodium and Teripil. The firms manufacturing these are located in Baddi, Nalagarh, Sansarpur Terrace, Paonta Sahib and Solan. These are used for treating stomach and abdominal pain, cramps, spasms, pain and bacterial infections, blood clots, high blood pressure and stomach ulcers.

Navneet Marwaha, State Drugs Controller, said batches of the samples declared substandard would be withdrawn immediately from the market and the field staff would be directed to inspect the units.