The Health Ministry has identified three specific drug sample batches as “spurious” or counterfeit while pointing out that these were produced by unauthorised and unknown manufacturers, faking popular brand names. The brand names in question include ‘PAN-D’, ‘Taxim O’ and ‘Rosuvas 10’.

In medical parlance, spurious drugs refer to counterfeit medicines that are made to resemble other drugs, especially popular brands. They are also known as imitation drugs.

A senior Health Ministry official told businessline that in October 2024, three drug samples were picked by the Bihar Drugs Control Authority, and these have subsequently been identified as “spurious drugs”.

“They have been made by unauthorised and unknown manufacturers, using a brand name owned by another company. An investigation has been initiated,” the official said.

While PAN-D, a popular drug used to treat gastrointestinal problems including bloating and acid reflux and Taxim O, an antibiotic for treating infections of the ear, nose, sinuses, throat, lungs, chest and urinary systems, are manufactured by Alkem Laboratories, ‘Rosuvas 10’, for treatment of cholesterol, is manufactured by Sun Pharma.

Alkem and Sun Pharma had not responded to requests for their comments till the time of publication.

“The issues are with specifically seized samples, which preliminary investigations suggest are counterfeit. There is no direct linkage with the company or brand owners as of yet,” a Ministry official clarified.

As per the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation(CDSCO) findings, firms in their response to the authorities have stated: “ The actual manufacturer (as per label claim) has informed that the impugned batch of product has not been manufactured by them and that it is a spurious drug”.

Not of Standard Quality

Another 56 drug samples – select batches - have been found to be ‘Not of Standard Quality’ (NSQ), while the State Drugs Testing Laboratories have identified another 34 samples as NSQ.

Identification of drug samples as NSQ is done based on the failure of the drug sample in one or the other specified quality parameters.

“The failure is specific to the drug products of the batch tested by the government laboratory. And it does not warrant any concerns on the other drug products available in the market,” a senior Health Ministry official said.

Samples that have been included in the October list of NSQs include Nataprime eye drop, Dr Reddy’s Decitabine injection, Primus Pharma’s Nataprime eye drops, and Pantoprazole tablets by Martin and Brown Bio-Sciences.