Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has found 39 drugs not-of-standard-quality during January,2010. Out of the total, 16 not-of-standard-quality drugs were from tax holiday states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal. The number of sub-standard quality drug samples for January is more than double as compared to December 2009.

According to the data released by the Maharashtra FDA, eight substandard drug samples were found in Gujarat, six in Maharashtra, three from Uttar Pradesh, two from Chandigarh, and one each from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Uttaranchal in the testing. Himachal Pradesh accounted for 15 not-of-standard quality drug samples.

Three samples of Naxpar Pharma of Himachal Pradesh and two samples of Bipson Surgical of Gujarat were listed for non-compliance. The pharmaceutical companies whose drugs have found to be sub-standard include names like Skolar Pharma of Andhra Pradesh; Orison Pharma and Uni-Sule of Chandigarh; Bipson Surgical, Devi Healthcare, Modi Anibiotics, Penam Pharma, S K Pharmaceutical Industries and Vandanasurgical Cotton Industries of Gujarat; B M Pharmaceuticals, Biomaarks Drugs India, Brooks Lab, J M Remedies, MDC Pharmaceutical, Morepen Lab, Naxpar Pharma, Gurumajra, PEC Healthcare, Quixotic Healthcare, Radio Remedies, Rahul Pharmaceuticals, Srishti Biotec and T&G Medicare of Himachal Pradesh; Beloorbayir Biotech of Karnataka, Vishal Pharmaceutical Lab of Madhya Pradesh, Glumax Pharmaceuticals, Karnataka Antibiotics & Pharmaceuticals, P&B Pharmaceuticals, Pravin Pharma and Vidarbha Group Industries and Unibios Lab of Maharashtra; Sai Mirra Innopharma of Tamil Nadu, Akums Drugs & Pharmaceuticals, Electrosol Pharma, Percos India of Uttar Pradesh; and I G Pharma of Uttaranchal.

The state FDA routinely picks up random samples of drugs from chemists and druggists and send for testing. The department will soon issue show cause notices to the companies.