High Court seeks Health Dept’s reply on substandard drugs produced in Himachal Pradesh

The High Court of Himachal Pradesh has expressed serious concern over rising incidents of the production of substandard drugs in the state and sought the response of the state health authorities.

A Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan and Justice Satyen Vaidya on a public interest litigation (PIL) based on a news report published in “The Tribune ” on October 25 under the headline “Samples of 25 drugs made in HP declared substandard”.

While treating this news item as a PIL, the court directed the state authorities, including the State Drug Controller, to file their response within two weeks.

It was reported in the news item that the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) had declared 25 drug samples, including 11 injectable medicines, manufactured at 18 pharmaceutical units in Himachal as substandard. These drugs figure among 70 drug samples declared not of standard quality (NSQ).

It was mentioned in the news that these drugs were manufactured at Baddi, Nalagarh, Paonta Sahib, Kala Amb, Solan and Kangra. Three drug samples tested by other states were also on the list. Among the injections declared substandard were oxytocin, calcium gluconate, promethazine hydrochloride, Celofos 1,000, Kefzone-S, Casidtaz-P (for bacterial infection) and Nurofens 2,500 (to treat vitamin B12 deficiency).