As many as 51 medicines manufactured in Himachal Pradesh, including commonly used cough syrups, tablets and injections, have failed to meet prescribed quality standards, raising serious concerns over patient safety and drug manufacturing practices. The findings were revealed in the latest monthly drug alert issued by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), which listed a total of 167 medicine samples from across India that did not conform to required quality parameters.
According to the report, several medicines routinely prescribed for high blood pressure, heart ailments, cholesterol management, allergies, asthma, infections, pain, fever, acidity, neurological conditions, worm infestation, calcium deficiency, and children’s cough and cold were found to be substandard. These failures have heightened anxiety among patients and healthcare professionals, as many of the affected drugs are part of daily medical treatment.
Among the most concerning findings were six cough and cold syrups manufactured in Himachal Pradesh that failed to comply with quality protocols due to deficiencies in assay values, pH levels and other technical parameters. Such shortcomings can significantly affect the safety and effectiveness of liquid medicines, particularly those consumed by children and elderly patients.
Equally alarming were the issues detected in several injectable medicines, where laboratory tests found the presence of particulate matter. This is considered a serious defect from a patient safety perspective, as it can lead to adverse reactions and compromise treatment outcomes. Experts note that such defects not only reduce a medicine’s efficacy but also weaken public confidence in the healthcare system.
The highest number of quality failures involved tablet formulations. Many batches failed dissolution tests, indicating that the medicine may not dissolve properly in the body to deliver the intended therapeutic benefit. In some cases, samples contained either higher or lower quantities of active ingredients than recommended, while others failed disintegration tests, further affecting their medicinal properties.
Apart from tablets and injections, quality lapses were also detected in syrups, nasal sprays, drops and creams, suggesting broader gaps in manufacturing and quality control processes. The medicines in question were reportedly produced at pharmaceutical units located in Baddi-Nalagarh, Barotiwala, Solan, Sansarpur Terrace, Kala Amb, Paonta Sahib, Parwanoo and Una, all major drug manufacturing hubs in the state.
The CDSCO clarified that the action is part of its routine regulatory surveillance, under which lists of Not of Standard Quality (NSQ) and counterfeit medicines are published every month. The objective, the regulator said, is to ensure transparency and enable swift removal of suspect medicines from the market before they pose a larger public health risk.
Responding to the findings, Himachal Pradesh State Drugs Controller Manish Kapoor said that notices have been issued to the concerned pharmaceutical companies, directing them to immediately recall the failed batches. He added that field-level investigations have been initiated to identify the causes of the quality failures and fix accountability.
“Patient safety will not be compromised at any cost. Strict action will be taken against manufacturers found violating quality standards,” Kapoor said, underscoring the government’s commitment to maintaining drug safety and regulatory compliance.
The incident has once again brought attention to the need for stringent quality checks and stronger oversight in pharmaceutical manufacturing, especially as Himachal Pradesh continues to play a key role in supplying medicines across the country.