SRINAGAR: More than 4 lakh drug samples were tested across India over the past five years, with more than 1500 found to be sub-standard, according to data tabled in the Lok Sabha on Friday.
The figures, shared by Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda in response to a starred question, show a steady rise in annual testing volumes, from 84,874 samples in 2020–21 to 1,16,323 in 2024–25. During the same period, the number of samples declared Not of Standard Quality fluctuated between 2,652 and 3,104, while spurious and adulterated samples ranged from 245 to 424 a year.
Nadda said drug regulation in India operates under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, through a licensing and inspection framework led by State and Union Territory Drug Controllers. He added that the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India also conducts routine checks on nutritional supplements and food products through surveillance, inspections and random sampling.
The minister highlighted that the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation launched risk-based inspections in December 2022 to improve monitoring of drug manufacturing units. More than 960 premises have been inspected so far, with over 860 enforcement actions taken, including show cause notices, suspension orders and licence cancellations.
He said details of drugs declared sub-standard, spurious or adulterated are publicly available on the CDSCO website under the Drug Alert section.
To strengthen regulatory capacity, the Centre has been implementing the ‘Strengthening of States’ Drug Regulatory System’ scheme. Under it, Rs 756 crore has been released to States and UTs for upgrading laboratories and drug control offices. Seventeen new drug testing labs have been constructed and 24 existing ones upgraded.
