When will the government fix accountability and take strict action against companies making fake medicines?
By Pradeep Sharma
It quite disturbing that 53 medicines claiming to provide relief from fever, pain, high blood pressure, diabetes etc. have not met the quality standards in the test. Paracetamol, which is widely used in the country, is also included in these medicines.
What an irony that these medicines have been sold openly under the nose of the government for a long time. The Central Drug Regulator has released a list of medicines that do not meet the quality standards. The question remains in the minds of common people that if these medicines do not meet the standards, then to what extent do their negative effects affect our health. Also, has any action been taken against those who were selling substandard medicines?
At present, no information has been officially revealed in this regard. Undoubtedly, it is shameful and highlights the failure of the system that the medicines that people buy to get relief from physical suffering are substandard? It is quite possible that such substandard medicines may also have negative effects. Serious research is needed in this regard. The irony is that even the state governments hesitate to take action against these drug companies run by the powerful and wealthy class. The price of which has to be paid by the common people.
The irony is that paracetamol, which is commonly taken by people, was also found to have failed the test. The common belief is that taking this medicine is beneficial in case of occasional fever, pain, etc. Certainly, its inclusion in the list of substandard medicines of the Central Drug Regulator will hurt this belief of the people. It is unfortunate that human values have deteriorated to such an extent that people are not even hesitating to play with the lives of suffering patients for their profits.
It is disturbing that many of the medicines mentioned in the recent monthly report by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) as substandard are of poor quality and on the other hand, many medicines are being sold as fake. These are being sold in the name of big companies. This will increase the safety concerns of those patients who were using these medicines. Unfortunately, this list also includes medicines for hypertension, diabetes, calcium supplements, vitamin-D3 supplements, vitamin B complex, vitamin-C, anti-acid, anti-fungal, respiratory disease prevention. It also includes medicines for treating seizures and anxiety.
These medicines are also produced by big companies. It is said that a popular medicine for preventing stomach infection is also included in the medicines that failed. Although CDSCO had checked the quality of 53 medicines, the final list released was of only 48 medicines. The reason being told is that according to the claims of the companies making the five medicines included in the list, these medicines are not of their company but fake medicines are being sold in the market in the name of their product.
It is noteworthy that in August this year, the Central Government had banned the sale of 156 Fixed Dose Combination i.e. FDC medicines. Actually, these medicines were commonly being used as cold and fever, pain relievers, multivitamins and antibiotics. The production, distribution and use of these medicines was banned due to the fear of being harmful to the patients. The government took this decision on the recommendation of the Drug Technical Advisory Board. Which believed that the medical quality of the ingredients included in these medicines is questionable.
It is worth noting that in the year 2022, 66 children died in Gambia allegedly due to four medicines made by a Haryana company. Then the World Health Organization (WHO) gave this information and announced that the cough syrup made by Maidan Pharmaceutical contained diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol, which are toxic to humans. WHO had issued an alert against those four medicines of the company.
After this, a report also came out in May 2023 last year, which claimed that 70 children in Gambia died due to severe kidney damage caused by a product made by Indian drug manufacturers, which contained toxic substances (toxins). However, the Government of India had been continuously denying the presence of toxins in the said medicines.
In fact, making a single pill by mixing several medicines is called Fixed Dose Combination Drugs i.e. FDC. However, the lack of quality of life-saving medicines used in common diseases is nothing but playing with the lives of patients. For which the accountability of regulatory departments should be fixed and the culprits selling substandard medicines should be punished.