Kashmir's Pill Problem

A recent inspection by the Drugs and Food Control Organization in Jammu and Kashmir exposed a worrying rise in substandard medicines. The findings point to a deeper crisis in public health and public trust.

- Mohammad Hanief

A few weeks ago, inspectors from the Jammu and Kashmir Drugs and Food Control Organization (DFCO) tested random samples of medicines from government and public medical stores. The results were troubling.

Several batches of common antibiotics and painkillers failed to meet the basic standards of potency and purity. Some tablets dissolved too slowly, others contained less of the active ingredient than required.

These findings may sound technical, but behind them lies a human story, one of patients depending on medicines that may not heal them.

Such discoveries strike at the heart of public trust.

Thousands of people across Jammu and Kashmir walk into these stores each day with prescriptions in hand, believing the medicines they buy will bring relief. When those medicines turn out to be weak or unsafe, the entire system feels unreliable.

The DFCO, which acts as the watchdog for drug safety in the Jammu and Kashmir, has been working to identify and remove poor-quality medicines from circulation. Through inspections, lab tests, and public advisories, it tries to ensure that what reaches patients is both safe and effective.

From city hospitals to small countryside clinics, the organization's work spans a complex network of suppliers and storage facilities. Still, every failed batch reminds us how fragile that network can be.

Substandard medicines are those that fail to meet national or international quality standards. They may contain the wrong formulation, the wrong amount of the active ingredient, or harmful impurities.

In many cases, the problem is not malicious intent but poor manufacturing, improper storage, or weak oversight. But the consequences are serious.