HP action against 116 pharma firms

Shimla: The Drugs Control Administration (DCA) in Himachal Pradesh has conducted 142 joint inspections with the central inspection officers between Jan 2023 and Oct 2024. As a result, action has been taken against 116 pharmaceutical companies producing substandard medicines, state health minister Col Dhani Ram Shandil (Retd) said on Thursday. While chairing a review meeting with the officers of the DCA, the health minister told that the manufacturing of the identified substandard product at such companies was thus suspended for one to two months and legal proceedings were initiated in the respective jurisdictions. Additionally, these companies were directed to review and rectify their manufacturing processes. Reaffirming the state govt’s commitment to ensuring the availability of affordable and quality medicines for the people, the health minister said the DCA was actively enforcing the Drugs and Cosmetics Act to maintain high standards of medicines’ quality.Col Shandil noted that Himachal Pradesh accounts for 33% of the country’s medicine production. According to a survey by the Health Ministry, the national percentage of substandard medicines stands at 3.16%, but Himachal Pradesh’s figure over the last three years has been significantly lower at 1.22%, which is less than half the national average.The cabinet minister said the data on substandard medicines is regularly shared with the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) and made available on its website to ensure public awareness.

DCA seizes illegal drugs

Telangana's Drug Control Administration (DCA) raided a quack's clinic in Bommanapally, seizing 25,000 worth of allopathic and ayurvedic medicines, including antibiotics and drugs marketed with misleading claims. Officials discovered 25 types of medicines, some falsely advertised as treatments for kidney stones, prostate disorders, menstrual problems, and eye infections.

Chief secretary Radha Raturi orders action against UP company for substandard construction of ITIs

Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Radha Raturi ordered action against Uttar Pradesh Rajkiya Nirman Nigam (UPRNN) for shoddy work on ITI buildings, demanding a refund and threatening legal action. Raturi also stressed the need for high-quality, timely construction of ITI protection works, emphasizing drainage and boundary walls. A budget of Rs 1.

Food safety lab flags 72 unsafe, 211 substandard products

Telangana's sole food testing lab in Nacharam has found 72 unsafe and 211 substandard food items out of 3,000 samples this year. Cooked food topped the list of unsafe products, often containing banned substances or pathogens. Facing a backlog of over 1,500 samples, the lab is working to boost its annual testing capacity from 3,000 to 24,000.

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