Himachal: HC seeks reply from health department on substandard medicines produced

Himachal Pradesh: The Himachal Pradesh High Court has expressed serious concern over the increasing incidents of production of substandard drugs in the state and has sought a response from the state health authorities. A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan and Justice Satyen Vaidya passed the order on a public interest litigation (PIL) based on a news report published in “The Tribune” on October 25 titled “25 drug samples manufactured in Himachal Pradesh declared substandard”. Treating the news as a PIL, the court directed the state authorities, including the State Drug Controller, to file their response within two weeks.
The news had reported that the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) had declared 25 drug samples, including 11 injectable drugs, manufactured in 18 drug units in Himachal Pradesh, as substandard. These drugs are among the 70 drug samples declared as not conforming to the standard quality (NSQ). The news had reported that these drugs were manufactured in Baddi, Nalagarh, Paonta Sahib, Kala Amb, Solan and Kangra. Three drug samples tested by other states were also on the list. The injections declared substandard included oxytocin, calcium gluconate, promethazine hydrochloride, Celofos 1,000, Kefzon-S, Casidtaz-P (for bacterial infections) and Nurofen 2,500 (for treating vitamin B12 deficiency).