Maharashtra has reported the highest number of substandard and spurious drugs as per the latest detailed list of the routine collection of samples and tests done by the drug control administrations across the country. However, unlike in many other states, none of the cases was taken to its logical conclusion by arresting any person involved or launching prosecution.
According to the details available for the year 2007-08, as many as 7036 samples were collected from the state which has the highest share of manufacturers in the country. Out of the total samples, 633 were found to be not of standard quality and 19 were tested to be spurious. However, none was arrested or no prosecution was initiated yet.
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) officials, as part of the routine inspections, picked up a total of 39,117 samples during the year from across the country. As many as 2429 samples were found to be of sub-standard quality while another 46 were declared spurious after the tests. Prosecution was launched in 115 cases and 85 people were arrested in connection with the cases. The drugs samples tested all over the country during the last five years have revealed that approximately 0.3 per cent to 0.4 per cent of around 40,000 samples tested per annum were found spurious on an average at the national level .
After Maharashtra, the state of Gujarat came second but with still higher proportion of substandard products. Out of mere 1984 samples, as many as 269 samples were found substandard and another four of them were declared spurious. In Tamil Nadu also, out of the total 1988 samples collected and tested, 260 were declared substandard while two were spurious.
Uttar Pradesh, another favourite haven for fake drug manufacturers, also had a good number of cases. Out of the total 3548 samples, 74 were tested to be substandard and another 16 were found spurious. However, the state had the highest number of prosecutions initiated with 28 and arrests of 64 persons. Karnataka administration also acted tough on the illicit manufacturers by initiating prosecutions in 24 cases after 224 out of the total 3094 samples were found substandard. Only one sample, that too a veterinary product, was declared spurious.
Kerala which has only a very little share in the overall production of drugs in the country had 222 cases of substandard products. The officials collected a total of 4228 samples during the year. In Rajasthan also, the number of substandard cases was higher at 126, though only two samples were found spurious, out of the total samples of 1805. Haryana also crossed the 100 mark with 108 cases of substandard samples, while all other states reported lesser cases of fake drugs ranging between four and 80, as per the detailed list.