In a major crackdown of drugs manufacturing units, especially substandard drugs, the central and state regulators have jointly inspected 76 pharmaceutical companies, 18 of which produce counterfeit and adulterated drugs, as stated by the official sources. The inspections were channelised across 20 states and Union territories in the last 15 days, it added.
A source mentioned that the action has been initiated against 76 companies in the initial phase against the production of substandard drugs.
“Licences of 18 pharma companies have been cancelled for manufacturing spurious and adulterated drugs and for violating GMP (good manufacturing practice)…. Besides, 26 firms have been given show-cause notices,” an official source added.
The sources averred as under the exclusive drive, the regulators have issued 203 firms under its purview. A majority of the companies belong from Himachal Pradesh (70), followed by Uttarakhand (45) and Madhya Pradesh (23).
Recently, there have been claims made over the affected quality of drugs produced by pharma companies originated in India. In February, the Tamil Nadu-based Global Pharma Healthcare recounted the instance when their eye drops associated with vision loss in the US.
Earlier, India-manufactured cough syrups were alleged to leading to children deaths last year in Gambia and Uzbekistan last year.
