In a recent quality control exercise, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has flagged around 50 widely-used medicines, such as paracetamol for fever, metformin for diabetes, and pantoprazole for acidity, as either spurious or not up to standard (NSQ). This discovery was part of CDSCO’s routine testing, which involves random sampling of drugs available in the Indian market.
CDSCO issues these monthly lists to inform consumers, healthcare providers, and state drug regulators of medicines that fail quality tests. The random testing of drugs is designed to ensure that pharmaceutical companies maintain stringent quality standards. Making the test results public serves as a deterrent against substandard manufacturing and reassures consumers that regulatory bodies are monitoring the market.
Understanding NSQ and Spurious Medicines
When regulators check drug quality, failures typically fall into three main categories:
- Spurious Drugs: These mimic popular brands and deceive consumers, often without containing the correct active ingredients. For instance, a recent sample of Glenmark’s Telmisartan (for hypertension) and Sunpharma’s pantoprazole was found to have been falsely attributed to these manufacturers.
- Not of Standard Quality (NSQ): These drugs do not meet critical standards such as dissolving properly or containing the right amount of active ingredients. Though they may not cause immediate harm, their ineffectiveness could leave health conditions untreated, as in the case of a batch of metformin that failed a dissolution test.
- Adulterated Drugs: These contain harmful contaminants or adulterants that pose direct risks to consumer health. Drugs falling into this category are typically recalled by regulators.
These monthly reports aim to keep both the public and relevant authorities informed. As drugs are tested at random, the transparency of these lists pressures pharmaceutical companies to maintain high-quality production standards. They also alert state regulators to take corrective measures, such as removing faulty drug batches from circulation.
Despite the alarming nature of the reports, consumers should not panic. These alerts are primarily issued to push companies toward self-correction or to prompt regulators to take action, such as recalling specific batches. Patients can continue taking their prescribed medications unless advised otherwise by a healthcare professional. The ongoing vigilance by CDSCO plays a key role in maintaining public health and ensuring that medicines available in the market meet safety and efficacy standards.
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