India's drug regulator has mandated the cessation of production for 76 pharmaceutical companies out of the 237 scrutinised, citing subpar manufacturing standards uncovered during risk-based inspections conducted since December of the previous year, according to informed sources.

Show cause notices have been issued to over 75% of these companies, the insiders revealed. Of the samples collected from these manufacturing units, 15.1% have been identified as not meeting standard quality (NSQ) criteria. The regulator is presently engaged in Phase IV of these comprehensive inspections.

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), in collaboration with state drug inspectors, has been executing these inspections as part of an extensive nationwide effort to combat the proliferation of spurious and substandard medicines. This initiative was prompted by the controversy surrounding alleged deaths of children in the African nation of Gambia due to cough syrups purportedly manufactured in India.

Source: Indiatimes