The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has found 24 drugs not-of-standard-quality out of a total of 509 drugs collected for testing during the period of December 1 to December 31, 2009. Out of the total of 24 not-of-standard-quality drugs, the tax holiday states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal accounted for seven drugs.

According to the data released by the Maharashtra FDA, four drugs each manufactured from Uttaranchal, Gujarat and Maharashtra have found to be not of standard quality, while three drugs each from Tamil Nadu and Himachal Pradesh have failed to stand up to the quality standard during this period. The authorities have found two drugs each from Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh and one each from Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan not of standard quality in the testing.

The major pharmaceutical companies whose drugs have found to be sub-standard include big names like Dr Reddy's Laboratories and Cipla. Apart from these well-known companies, the list includes Carewell Healthcare, Rajat Pharmachem, Surmount Labs and Olcare Labs from Gujurat; Sanchez Labs and Ultratech Pharma from Himachal Pradesh; Endolabs from Madhya Pradesh; Arihant Siddhaa Labs, Health Secure, The Relife Surgicals from Maharashtra; Mamta Surgical Cottan Industries, Arun Products Chatrapati, Sara Pharma and Shree Jayabaalaji Enterprises from Tamil Nadu; Optho Remedies and Zest Surgical from Uttar Pradesh; and Francis Remedies, Hiral Labs, Om Biomedic and Synokem Pharma from Uttaranchal.

A Thool, joint commissioner (law), Maharashtra FDA said that the department will issue show cause notices to the companies soon. The state FDA routinely picks up random samples of drugs from chemists and druggists and send for testing. After the test results, the FDA publishes the list every month.