Himachal: Companies making substandard medicines

Himachal Pradesh: Health Minister Dhani Ram Shandil on Thursday said companies manufacturing substandard drugs face severe penalties, including suspension of their manufacturing permissions. Chairing a meeting with officials of the Drugs Control Administration, the minister reiterated the state government’s commitment to ensure availability of affordable and quality medicines to the people. “Drugs control officers are actively enforcing the Drugs and Cosmetics Act to maintain high standards of quality of drugs.

From January 2023 to October 2024, the administration conducted 142 inspections and took action against 116 pharmaceutical companies,” he said. “Manufacturing of an identified product is suspended for one to two months and legal proceedings are initiated under the relevant jurisdiction. Also, these companies are directed to review and improve their manufacturing processes,” Shandil said. He said Himachal has emerged as a pharma hub and “has a 33 per cent share in the country’s drug production”. According to the survey of Health Ministry, the national percentage of substandard medicines is 3.16 percent, while in Himachal Pradesh it is 1.22 percent.