Popular Antacids, Paracetamol Among Medicines Found Substandard in India

India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) has identified over 50 widely used medications, including popular antacids and paracetamol, as substandard or fake . These medications failed to meet the required quality standards during routine tests conducted by multiple agencies across the country.

Some of the affected medications include:

• Pan-D, a popular antacid from Alkem Laboratories
• Cepodem, an anti-infective medication from Hetero
• Shelcal, a vitamin and calcium tablet brand made by Pure & Cure Healthcare
• Pantocid, a popular Indian brand of antacid containing pantoprazole, reported by Sun Pharmaceutical Industries as fake
• Pulmosil, used to treat high blood pressure in the lungs, and
• Telma H, an anti-hypertension drug from Glenmark Pharmaceuticals

The CDSCO releases a monthly list of substandard or fake medicines sold in the country. When a medicine is found to be below quality standards, the regulator sends a notice to the manufacturer to recall that batch of product . Companies also conduct their own tests on leftover samples to check for the possibility of counterfeit.

This issue is particularly concerning for India, one of the world’s largest drug producers and exporters, as it works to restore confidence after Indian-made cough syrups were linked to child fatalities in Gambia, Uzbekistan, and Cameroon