905 drug-manufacturing units inspected since 2022, action taken against 694: Centre to Rajya Sabha
In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda said isolated cases regarding spurious or adulterated or sub-standard drugs are received from time to time.
As part of quality monitoring and in order to assess the regulatory compliance of drug-manufacturing premises in the country, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), in collaboration with State regulators, initiated risk-based inspections of drug manufacturing and testing firms in December 2022.
Firms have been identified on the basis of risk criteria like the number of drugs declared as not of standard quality, complaints, criticality of products etc.
"As of now, 905 units have been inspected, resulting in 694 actions being taken. These actions include Stop Production Orders (SPO), Stop Testing Orders (STO), licence suspensions/cancellations, warning letters, and showcause notices, depending on the severity of non-compliance," Mr. Nadda said.
The initiative has provided valuable insights into manufacturing practices and led to relevant corrective actions, resulting in noticeable improvements in the regulatory framework, he added.
All the drug manufacturers are required to comply with the conditions of their licence, including Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) as prescribed under the Drugs Rules, 1945, to ensure the quality, safety and efficacy of drugs.
Further, the CDSCO uploads a list of drugs of various companies, which are declared not of standard quality or spurious or misbranded or adulterated by the central drug-testing laboratories, on its website (www.cdsco.gov.in) under the heading of "Drug Alert", Mr. Nadda said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NDTV
4 hours ago
- NDTV
Centre Flags Carcinogen Fears On Acidity Medicine Ranitidine, Orders Probe
New Delhi: The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has directed all state and union territory drug regulators to ensure manufacturers of Ranitidine -- a commonly used acidity medicine --monitor NDMA levels, a potentially cancer-causing impurity, in both the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and formulations of the drug. The CDSCO has also suggested reducing the shelf life as a precautionary step. The move comes from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), Dr Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, following a recommendation by the Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) during its 92nd meeting on April 28, 2025. The Board reviewed a report submitted by an expert committee constituted in December last year to study the impurity concerns around Ranitidine. Based on this, DTAB has called for a larger committee to examine all aspects of the issue, including storage conditions that may contribute to NDMA formation. In addition, the Board recommended that the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) conduct a study to further assess the long-term safety of Ranitidine in light of NDMA presence. Manufacturers have now been told to adopt risk-based measures, such as limiting shelf life, modifying storage recommendations, and enhancing NDMA testing protocols across their supply chains. "Ranitidine falls in the Group 2A carcinogen category, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which implies that it is a probable human carcinogen. It should not be continued in prescription when there are safer alternatives such as Famotidine and Pantoprazole available," said Dr Abhishek Shankar, Oncologist, AIIMS Delhi. NDMA is classified as a probable human carcinogen, and its presence in medications has triggered global regulatory scrutiny over recent years. Ranitidine, commonly prescribed for acid reflux and ulcers, was withdrawn from several markets, including the US, after alarmingly high levels of NDMA were found in some samples. "Ranitidine was commonly prescribed in the past. Its usage has reduced in most metro cities, but it is still prescribed in Tier 1 or 2 cities, particularly at primary healthcare centres. In my knowledge, the drug has been known to have NDMA impurities; the FDA has also ruled out the use of this drug in large doses. The DGCI needs to set prescribed limits for NDMA levels in this drug," said Dr Lohit Chauhan, Gastroenterologist at Max Dwarka.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
5 hours ago
- Business Standard
Don't know the actual reason behind Dhankhar's resignation: Kharge
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday said he has no information on the actual reason for Jagdeep Dhankhar resigning as Vice-President. After Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned on the evening of July 21 citing ill health, Congress and other opposition parties suggested that there is more to it than meets the eye, hinting at a rift between Dhankhar and the government. "Dhankhar has to tell what really happened, as the matter is between him and Prime Minister Narendra Modi," he added. In his resignation letter to President Droupadi Murmu, Dhankhar said he was stepping down with immediate effect to "prioritise health care." Speaking to reporters here, Kharge said, "When we raised several issues concerning farmers, the poor, international issues, or foreign policy, he never used to give us an opportunity (in Rajya Sabha, as its Chairman)." "When we tried to raise issues by giving notices—on issues regarding the poor, atrocities against women, Dalits and the downtrodden, and incidents like Hindu-Muslim clashes—he did not give us an opportunity. It (the reason for Dhankhar's resignation as Vice-President) is between him and Modi. We don't have any information on that," he added.
The Print
8 hours ago
- The Print
Over 50 per cent children stunted in 63 districts across 13 states and UTs: Parliament data analysis
Stunting is a form of chronic undernutrition that occurs when children do not receive adequate nutrition over a long period of time. The analysis also showed that 199 districts reported stunting levels between 30 per cent and 40 per cent. New Delhi, Jul 27 (PTI) As many as 63 districts across 13 states and Union Territory, including 34 in Uttar Pradesh, have reported that more than 50 per cent of children enrolled in anganwadis are stunted, according to an analysis of multiple documents submitted in Parliament. According to the data based on the Ministry of Women and Child Development's Poshan Tracker for June 2025, some of the worst-affected districts with highest level of stunting include Nandurbar in Maharashtra (68.12 per cent), West Singhbhum in Jharkhand (66.27 per cent), Chitrakoot in Uttar Pradesh (59.48 per cent), Shivpuri in Madhya Pradesh (58.20 per cent), and Bongaigaon in Assam (54.76 per cent). Uttar Pradesh leads the list with 34 districts showing stunting levels above 50 per cent, followed by Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, and Assam. In response to multiple questions, the Women and Child Development Ministry said that 35.91 per cent of the 8.19 crore children aged 0-6 years measured across anganwadis were stunted and 16.5 per cent were underweight. Among children below five years of age, the prevalence of stunting was even higher at 37.07 per cent. The situation is equally serious in terms of underweight children. Nandurbar in Maharashtra recorded 48.26 per cent underweight prevalence, the highest in the country, followed by districts like Dhar (42 per cent), Khargone (36.19 per cent) and Barwani (36.04 per cent) in in Madhya Pradesh, Dang in Gujarat (37.20 per cent), Dungarpur (35.04 per cent), and Sukma in Chhattisgarh (34.76 per cent). Wasting, which indicates acute malnutrition, was highest in Dhar, Madhya Pradesh, at 17.15 per cent, followed by Bijapur in Chhattisgarh (15.20 per cent) and Mon in Nagaland (15.10 per cent). Madhya Pradesh has multiple districts with stunting above 50 per cent, including Shivpuri (58.20 per cent), Khargone (55.02 per cent) and Guna (52.86 per cent). Assam also has multiple districts with stunting above 50 per cent, including Cachar (54.11 per cent), Darrang (51.65 per cent), and South Salmara-Mankachar (52.67 per cent). Arunachal Pradesh's Tirap (52.74 per cent) and Upper Subansiri (52.10 per cent) also figure among the worst hit. Karnataka's Raichur (52.76 per cent) and Bagalkot (51.61 per cent), Rajasthan's Salumbar (52.95 per cent), and Gujarat's Narmada (50.71 per cent) further have high prevalence of stunting. Among Union Territories, Mahe in Puducherry had a stunting rate of 57.38 per cent, the highest among UTs. Responding to another question in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Women and Child Development Savitri Thakur had stressed that nutrition is not just about food but involves factors like sanitation, safe drinking water, and education. 'As malnutrition requires a multi-sectoral approach, it is crucial to address the issue in a convergent manner,' she said in a written response. She added that the government is implementing 'Mission Saksham Anganwadi' and 'Poshan 2.0', an umbrella scheme that integrates anganwadi services, 'Poshan Abhiyaan', and adolescent nutrition programmes. The scheme focuses on community-based management of acute malnutrition (CMAM), the use of fortified rice, and the inclusion of millets in meals. PTI UZM MNK MNK This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
