Maharashtra Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) Minister Narahari Zirwal on Wednesday informed the state Assembly that the department has intensified efforts to detect spurious medicines and cough syrups across the state.
Responding in writing to a question raised by BJP legislator Amit Satam and others, the minister said the FDA launched a special campaign to identify substandard and fake products. Samples of cough syrups and medicines were sent to the State Government Hospital and drug testing laboratories for testing, and reports have now been received.
According to Zirwal, licences of 176 retailers and 39 wholesalers were cancelled. Additionally, 136 retailers and 93 wholesalers were inspected. Show-cause notices were issued, and licences were revoked for selling substandard cough syrups.
Fake cough syrup was detected in several drug stores and companies during an FDA campaign in October 2024.
Doctors, hospitals, and pharmacists were instructed not to prescribe or sell medicines containing Propranolol.
A total of 36 samples were tested at 10 locations across the Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Aurangabad, and Nagpur divisions. Of these, 34 were found to be of substandard quality, the minister said.
The affected samples included medicines used for high blood pressure, diabetes, tuberculosis, heart disease, and blood purification. Six samples of a particular brand of paediatric cough syrup were also found to be substandard.
Zirwal said some components in certain medicines had allegedly been altered or combined, and the products were sold in the market under a different name (“Pankreatine/Pancreatin”). He also noted that some fake or substandard medicines were allegedly supplied to government hospitals by unauthorised companies.
He added that due to 176 Drug Inspector posts (19.4 per cent) remaining vacant, routine drug testing and regulatory work in several districts had been affected. Maharashtra currently has three drug testing laboratories in Mumbai, Nagpur, and Pune.
The government has acknowledged the need for a detailed inquiry and strict action. Recruitment for 109 Drug Inspector posts through the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) is underway. Substandard or fake drugs are routinely sent for analysis, and legal action is initiated in court against unauthorised and spurious products.
The minister clarified that regular testing and regulatory work continues with the existing manpower. Upgradation work is in progress at the laboratories in Nashik and Pune. Drug samples are taken for analysis as per the instructions of Drug Inspectors, and cases are filed against entities found selling unauthorised or fake medicines.
— IANS
