The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) on Thursday flagged batches of three drugs as spurious and listed 94 others as not of standard quality (NSQ) in its routine surveillance for August 2025.
The spurious drugs identified in the apex regulator’s latest monthly update include batches of Pan D and Pan 40, used to treat gastrointestinal acid reflux. The list also includes a sample of diazepam injection, which is prescribed for anxiety, alcohol withdrawal and muscle spasm.
A drug is considered spurious when manufactured by unauthorised producers using brand names owned by other companies.
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While the CDSCO alert names the brands for which spurious samples were found, it does not disclose the drugmakers. The Union health ministry, in a press note, added that all three spurious samples were found in Bihar.
‘The matter is under investigation and action will be taken according to the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and rules,’ the ministry said in a statement.
Officials noted that unauthorised manufacturers often produce counterfeit versions of widely used drugs, especially those for cardiovascular conditions and hypertension.
“To counter this, rigorous identification and removal of NSQ and spurious drugs from the market is a regular collaborative exercise between central and state regulators,” an official said.
Of the 94 drugs flagged as NSQ in August, 32 were identified at central drug laboratories in Kolkata, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Guwahati and Chandigarh, while state drug testing laboratories identified the remaining 62.
These include batches of paracetamol and pantoprazole tablets, along with other medications such as domperidone and ambrospas tablets.
Drug samples are categorised as NSQ when they fail to meet specified quality parameters such as dissolution, uniformity of weight and assay of active ingredients.
The ministry reiterated that the failure is specific to the tested batches and does not raise concerns about other batches of the same drugs available in the market.
