CHENNAI: As many as 48 drug batches failed the drug quality standard check out of the total of 1,273 samples that were tested during the random drug sample test by the Central Drug Control Standard Organisation (CDCSO) in June. One sample was declared spurious by the drug control authorities.
While the random testing of drug samples is done by CDCSO on a regular basis, some of the commonly used drugs have turned out to be of substandard quality.
Some of these include Paracetamol tablets 650 mg and Cetrizine tablets manufactured by Hindustan Antibiotics, Aciloc 150 being manufactured by Cadila Pharmaceuticals, Pan 40 manufactured by Alkem Health Science and Rosuvastatin and Vitamin D3 tablets manufactured by Synokem Pharmaceuticals.
The drugs are reported to have failed standard quality check if they fail the test for assay, dissolution, disintegration and identification test.
The chemists and druggists in the State say that these tablets are some of the most commonly used drugs and while they can be withdrawn from the market, it is concerning that such drugs are turning out to be of substandard quality.
In May, 27 drugs were reported to Not of Standard Quality and one drug was turned spurious.
"The respective drug control officers will have to identify the batch numbers of the drugs that have been found to be of substandard quality and the withdrawal of drugs will be done from the wholesalers and retailers. While the withdrawal can be done, we need to ensure that more samples of commonly used drugs are tested to ensure that only standard quality drugs reach the public, " said S Ramachandran, former secretary of Tamil Nadu Druggists and Chemists Association.