Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has found 31 drugs not-of-standard-quality during the month of March. Out of the total, 13 not-of-standard-quality drugs were from tax holiday states of Himachal Pradesh and 10 were from Uttaranchal.

Well-known drug manufacturers like Quixotic Healthcare for azizen/azithromycin oral suspension, Endolabs Ltd. for vitamin-B complex tablets, GSK Pharmaceuticals for Biodipin-AT tablets, Lucent Biotech for Enzebest tablets and Syncom Healthcare for Cronodol/Disulfiram tablets also figure in the list.

Out of 31 such drug samples found in March, 13 were from Himachal Pradesh, ten were from Uttaranchal, three from Gujarat, two from Madhya Pradesh and one each from Daman, Maharashtra and Punjab.

Other highlights of the list of Maharashtra FDA's not-of-standard drugs for not complying with IP and USP requirements includes Gujarat's Norris Medicines for Onvin-4 tablets and Pramukh Swami Pharma for Stamocid MPS suspension, Himachal Pradesh's Meredian Medicare for Priclav dry syrup/amoxycillin and potassium Clav, Quixotic Healthcare for azizen/azithromycin oral suspension, Shiva Biogenetic Pharmaceuticals for Alicid-MPS Antacid antiflatulent liquid, Maharashtra's Dosch Pharmaceuticals for Albendos suspension, Uttaranchal's Endolabs Healthcare for Premaunt-N tablets/Norethisterone tablets, M R Healthcare for Oritaxim-O/Cefixime oral suspension, Med Menor Organics for Rabnor-O tablets and Syncom Healthcare for Cronodol/Disulfiram tablets.

During March, other companies in the list for not complying permissible limits includes Coral Laboratories from Daman, Adwin Pharma, Cachet Pharmaceuticals, Everest Formulations, Grampus Laboratories, L V Lifesciences, Mehar Pharma, Preet Remedies, Rahul Pharmaceuticals, Endolabs Ltd., Parenteral Drugs (India) from Himachal Pradesh, Raviera Pharmaceuticals from Punjab, Creative Healthcare, Francis Remedies, GSK Pharmaceuticals, Lucent Biotech and Synokem Pharmaceuticals from Uttaranchal.

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