Over 200 licences cancelled in Maharashtra for low-grade medicines: Zirwal

The licences of 176 retailers and 39 wholesalers have been cancelled across Maharashtra in the past year over substandard medicines, Food and Drug Administration Minister Narhari Zirwal told the state assembly on Wednesday.

In a written reply to a question raised by BJP MLA Amit Satam and others, Zirwal said that samples of cough syrup and other medicines were sent for testing and analysis as part of a special campaign launched by the FDA.

Licences of 176 retailers and 39 wholesalers were cancelled. Further, 136 retailers and 93 wholesalers were inspected. Show-cause notices were issued, and licences were cancelled for selling substandard cough syrups, he said.

Zirwal said fake cough syrups were found in drug stores and companies during the FDA drive in October 2024. Doctors, clinical establishments and pharmacists were instructed not to prescribe or sell medicines containing propranolol, he said.

The FDA minister said 36 samples were tested at 10 locations across Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Aurangabad and Nagpur divisions, of which 34 were found to be substandard. These included medicines for hypertension, diabetes, tuberculosis, heart disease and blood purification, he said.

Six samples of a specific brand of paediatric cough syrup in the state were also found to be of inferior quality.

According to Zirwal, some components were altered or combined, and the medicine was sold in the market under a new name. He said some fake and substandard medicines were supplied to government hospitals by unauthorised companies.

Drug testing and control work in many districts had been affected as 176 posts of drug inspectors were vacant, he said. Maharashtra has three testing laboratories in Mumbai, Nagpur and Pune.

Zirwal said 109 posts of drug inspectors will be filled through the Maharashtra Public Service Commission.

The minister said drug testing and control work is being carried out with the human resources available with the department, and efforts are being made to upgrade the laboratories in Nashik and Pune.