29 Drug Samples Fail Central Quality Tests in August, 191 Flagged by States

Central Drugs Laboratories have found 29 drug samples to be Not of Standard Quality (NSQ) in August 2026, while state drug-testing laboratories flagged another 191 samples for failing specified quality parameters, the Health Ministry said on Tuesday.

The findings are part of the routine regulatory surveillance carried out by drug authorities to monitor the quality of medicines available in the market. The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) publishes monthly lists of drugs identified as NSQ or spurious on its portal.

According to the Health Ministry, the 29 samples identified by Central Drugs Laboratories and the 191 samples detected by state laboratories were declared NSQ based on their failure to meet one or more prescribed quality parameters.

The ministry, however, clarified that an NSQ finding is specific to the particular drug product and batch tested by the government laboratory. Such identification does not, by itself, indicate that other batches or products available in the market have similar quality issues.

In a separate finding, one drug sample from the National Capital Territory of Delhi was identified as spurious. The sample was allegedly manufactured by unauthorised manufacturers using the brand name of another company.

The matter is currently under investigation, and appropriate action will be taken in accordance with the law, the ministry said.

The government said the identification of NSQ and spurious medicines is carried out regularly in coordination with state drug regulators. The process is aimed at detecting medicines that fail quality requirements and ensuring that such products are identified and removed from the market.

The monthly drug alerts form part of the regulatory mechanism for monitoring pharmaceutical quality and addressing cases where medicines fail prescribed standards. Authorities also use the findings to initiate appropriate regulatory action against manufacturers or other entities wherever violations are established.

The Health Ministry reiterated that the surveillance process is intended to safeguard the quality of medicines and strengthen regulatory oversight across the country.