India Tests 5 Lakh Drugs, 2.9% Found Substandard in 5 Years: Govt Data

• India tested nearly 500,000 drug samples over the last five years, with 14,342 (2.9%) declared 'Not of Standard Quality' (NSQ).
• Of these, 1,593 samples were found to be spurious or adulterated, as per data shared by Minister Anupriya Patel in Parliament.
• The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) initiated risk-based inspections in Dec 2022, inspecting over 960 units and taking 860+ enforcement actions.
• Regulators audited over 1,100 cough syrup manufacturers and inspected 380+ blood centers to enhance surveillance.
• ₹756 crore has been released to states for strengthening drug testing labs, leading to 19 new labs and 28 upgrades.