In a concerning development for public health, an internal report from the Rajasthan Food Safety and Drug Control Commission (FSDCC) has disclosed that a significant number of drug samples, including essential medications like antibiotics, paracetamol, and treatments for cardiac and liver conditions, have failed quality tests. As of September, 81 out of 4,125 drug samples collected during the financial year 2025-26 did not meet required quality standards. This follows a similar trend from the previous year, where 168 out of 5,607 samples failed inspections.
The commission’s report comes in the wake of recent child deaths linked to a Dextromethorphan cough syrup. While six samples of this specific syrup tested poorly, further samples of other cough syrups are currently undergoing analysis. Officials noted that many of these concerning cough syrups are manufactured in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
In response to these findings, state drug controller Ajay Phatak announced that all medicine distributors have been instructed to have drugs, especially cough syrups, sourced from outside Rajasthan tested by the Rajasthan Medical Services Corporation Limited (RMSCL) before they are released into the market.
Furthermore, Phatak revealed that approximately 65 pharmacies are under the department’s surveillance for allegedly distributing spurious, contaminated, or adulterated drugs. He stated that these businesses have repeatedly failed quality tests, prompting a comprehensive investigation into their practices and manufacturing processes, with strict actions promised for any significant violations.
An analysis of the failed drug samples indicated that manufacturers from Himachal Pradesh (18 samples), Rajasthan (13 samples), and Uttarakhand (11 samples) were most frequently implicated. Other states like Gujarat, Punjab, Sikkim, Haryana, and various cities including Bengaluru, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Jammu also had samples that did not meet quality standards. Only Chhattisgarh had one failed sample.
District units of the FSDCC have been tasked with inspecting at least 20 pharmaceutical companies monthly. Samples are collected if any suspicion arises and sent for testing to the official laboratory in Jaipur. The failed samples are broadly categorized as adulterated, produced in unhygienic conditions, or lacking necessary active compositions, highlighting a critical need for stricter quality control across the pharmaceutical supply chain.