Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Oct 23: The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has declared 112 drug samples across India as Not of Standard Quality (NSQ) in its monthly drug alert for September.

According to the regulator, 52 of these substandard samples were identified by Central Drugs Laboratories, while 60 were detected by State Drugs Testing Laboratories. The findings are part of the CDSCO’s regular surveillance to monitor the quality of medicines circulating in the country.

Officials explained that samples are classified as NSQ when they fail to meet one or more specified quality parameters. However, the failure pertains only to the particular tested batch and does not imply similar issues with other batches of the same drug available in the market.

Additionally, a drug sample from Chhattisgarh was found to be spurious, manufactured illegally under another company’s brand name. The matter is currently under investigation, and appropriate action will follow under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and Rules.

The CDSCO conducts these tests in collaboration with state regulators to ensure that substandard and counterfeit drugs are promptly identified and removed from circulation.

In August, the regulator had flagged 94 drug samples as NSQ, including 32 identified by Central Drugs Laboratories and 62 by State Drugs Testing Laboratories.