The Karnataka drugs control department has declared six drugs as not-of-standard quality. These drugs include Dazit suspension (azithromycin oral suspension) manufactured by SS Healthcare at Hyderabad, alprazolam tablets and loperamide hydrochloride from Embiotic Laboratories, vistanim P nimesulide with paracetamol tablets from Cosmos Pharmacis in Solan district in Himachal Pradesh, Baxter Compound sodium lactate injection (Ringer Lactate Solution for injection) produced by Baxter India in Tamil Nadu and Laz 200 suspension, an azithromycin oral suspension produced by BRD Medilabs at Baddi in Himachal Pradesh.

In a random inspection at chemist outlets in the state held in November, the department’s drug inspectors sent the drugs to its Test Lab for analysis. The analysts found discrepancies in the quality of the six drugs. According to Dr BR Jagashetty, Karnataka drugs controller, not-of-standard quality drugs are those with minor defects. These could be chipping of the tablet, labelling deficiency or deterioration of the contents because of storage conditions.

With constant checks at regular intervals by the drug inspectors, the drug department ensures quality medicines are sold at the chemists. The drugs control department has also issued warning notices to the pharmacy trade, healthcare providers and the public not to sell or prescribe or consume these drugs, Dr Jagashetty added.

According to the Confederation of Small and Medium Industry, the central and state drugs control departments pick up around 50,000 samples of drugs annually and only around 3 per cent of the samples are not up to the prescribed quality standard. Of which only 0.29 per cent are found to be spurious.

Going by the demand for Indian drugs in the regulated markets, the country’s pharma manufacturers by and large are known to adhere to good production practices and adhere to highest quality standards. It is important for the drug licensing authorities to keep a close watch on drugs being sold at the pharmacy outlets to ensure only quality medicines are available off outlets, stated pharma industry sources.