Drugs regulator asks states to probe adverse event complains related to India-made drugs

India’s drugs regulator is in touch with its counterparts of all countries from where cases of serious adverse events have been reported allegedly from the consumption of India-made drugs, according to people familiar with the matter

- Rhythma Kaul

NEW DELHI: The people added that joint teams of central and state regulators have been conducting surprise inspections of pharmaceutical manufacturing units across the country to ensure quality of medicines is not compromised.

Of the World Health Organisation’s medical product alert against 20 pharmaceutical products, mainly syrups against fever and cough, linked to around 300 deaths globally, seven are from India. While India has hinted that some of these reports are motivated by a desire to target India’s standing as the world’s pharmacy (especially for the manufacture of generics or off-patent drugs), one of the people cited above admitted that in some cases there have been lapses by Indian manufacturers.