The Health Ministry has cancelled the licences of 18 pharma companies for the manufacture of spurious medicines, following the inspection by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) on 76 such entities across 20 States, said senior officials.

In all, 203 pharma companies — mostly Indian — have been identified for action. A majority of the companies are from Himachal Pradesh (70), followed by Uttarakhand (45) and Madhya Pradesh (23), those in the know told buisnessline.

The first phase of action was carried out over the last 15 days, and it covered Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, J&K, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Puducherry, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttrakhand, and West Bengal.

Sources say product permissions for three companies have also been cancelled. “Licences of 18 pharma companies and product permissions of three companies have been cancelled after failure to adhere to good manufacturing practices and for making medicines that are not of standard quality, spurious or adulterated offerings. Those who lose their licences will have to shut shop,” said an official.

This apart, showcause notices have also been issued to 26 pharma companies. “More such drives are expected in the coming days,” said the official.

India’s medicine-makers have been under the global scanner for some time now following reports of adverse health effects and alleged deaths in some countries post consumption of offerings like specific cough syrups, among others. Complaint specific action was being taken in many cases, Ministry officials said.

Health Ministry officials say normally 2-3 per cent of the samples that are tested by the DCGI during these special drives test positive for adulteration or for violation of good manufacturing practices.

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