In its routine quality surveillance for July, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) reported that 143 drug samples failed to meet quality standards, while eight were identified as spurious.

Of the 143 substandard ("Not of Standard Quality" or NSQ) samples, 46 were flagged by central drug-testing laboratories, with the remaining 97 identified by state labs.

The spurious samples included well-known medicines such as Venclyxto Tablets, Deca-Durabolin, Thrombophob, Augmentin, PAN 40, Clavam 625, and two instances labeled Telma H. These were found to be manufactured by unauthorised entities misusing brand names of legitimate pharmaceutical companies.

Investigations are currently underway, and authorities have confirmed that appropriate legal action will be taken under relevant laws.

This alert once again highlights the critical challenge of ensuring quality control in India’s pharmaceutical supply chain, raising concerns about patient safety even in the case of widely used branded medicines.