The Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA) has defended its member companies after the Central Drug Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) flagged 53 commonly used medicines for failing quality tests.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the pharma body which represents companies like Sun Pharma, Lupin, and Cipla stated that “it is deeply concerned by the gross misrepresentation and deliberate distortion of facts by select media outlets on the drug alert report released by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).”
“The misleading coverage irresponsibly interchanges the terms “Not of Standard Quality” and “Spurious,” and wrongfully implicates genuine manufacturers in the production of spurious drugs. Manufacturing spurious drugs is a serious criminal offence that threatens public health. The outrageous linking of spurious products with legitimate manufacturers has severe reputational and financial impact. Moreover, this tarnishes India’s reputation as a reliable supplier of medicines on a global stage,” Sudarshan Jain, Secretary General, Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance said in a statement.
It is critical that a clear distinction between NSQ and Spurious Drugs is made, Jain emphasised.
“IPA will continue to work with the Government to strengthen the overall system and establish stringent measures against spurious drugs. This issue is of paramount importance, both for India’s global standing and for the protection of public health,” he said.
India is the global pharmaceutical manufacturing hub and is rightfully recognized as the “Pharmacy of the World”. This sector is of strategic importance to the nation. The Industry plays a vital role in supplying affordable quality-assured medicines to over 200 countries, he said.
In its August 2024 report, the CDSCO identified over 50 drugs as Not of Standard Quality (NSQ), including popular medicines such as Alkem’s Clavam 625 and PAN-D, Sun Pharma’s Pantocid and Pulmosil, and Glenmark’s Telma H.
After the drug alert list was released, pharma companies like Sun Pharma, Glenmark, and Alkem responded by stating that the flagged batches were spurious and not produced by them. Similarly, Torrent Pharma clarified that the Shelcal 500 batch in question was not their product.
