Drug regulators, pharma firms step up action on fake and substandard drugs

Detection of spurious and substandard drugs was up by 47% from 2020 to 2021, according to an ASPA Report

Pharma companies and state drug regulators are intensifying action against spurious and substandard drugs in the country.

Government data shows that in 2019-20, of the 81,329 tested drug samples, 2,497 were found to be of non-standard quality (NSQ), and 199 were declared spurious. In 2020-21, the NSQ count rose to 2,652 in the 84,874 tested samples; 263 were spurious. 

Between 2019 and 2021, 384 were arrested in relation to counterfeit or NSQ drugs.

The state drug controller of Himachal Pradesh, which houses a major pharma manufacturing hub of Baddi, has set up a team of 3-4 persons from the department, who are working