Spurious drug manufacturers from other states are tarnishing the image of state’s pharmaceutical industry by using fictitious names of firms located in Himachal Pradesh.
A recent case which occurred at Sonipat in Haryana has re-affirmed this allegation where spurious antibiotics were being manufactured under a fake label — Paradox Pharmaceuticals, Baddi, while falsely claiming Himachal Pradesh as the manufacturing location.
“The increasing frequency of such cases suggests a coordinated effort to malign the reputation of Himachal Pradesh, which is a major contributor to the nation’s pharmaceutical industry,” stated Dr Manish Kapoor, State Drugs Controller.
It is alarming to note that during the fiscal year 2024-2025 alone, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from six states — Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana and Haryana —- have reported 20 drug formulations with fake manufacturing addresses in Solan and Sirmaur districts. “Thorough investigations have, however, confirmed that none of the 20 firms exists in the state. The concerned state FDAs were promptly notified, and legal action was requested against the perpetrators,” asserted Dr Manish Kapoor.
“These incidents, originating from other states, appear to be a deliberate attempt to discredit Himachal Pradesh, as media reports frequently associate substandard drugs with the state, further damaging our image,” remarked Kapoor who added that spurious drugs have been found labelled with names such as Core Healthcare, DG Pharmaceuticals, Seemax Pharma and Paradox Pharmaceuticals, all falsely claiming to be based in Himachal Pradesh.”
All these firms are, however, fictitious.
One of the notable cases involved COF-X, a cough syrup allegedly manufactured by Seemax Pharma, which was reported to contain Codeine, a regulated substance. Since codeine supply is regulated by the central drugs regulator how a fictitious firm could secure it is alarming to note, noted an official.
“Allegations regarding spurious drug manufacturing in Himachal Pradesh were also recently raised in the Karnataka Vidhan Sabha, but these claims have also been categorically denied as they lacked any truth,” added Kapoor.
Dr Rajesh Gupta, president, Himachal Pradesh Drug Manufacturers Association, while taking a stern view of such cases, stated that the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation, should constitute a task force to trace the entire distribution channels through which such spurious drugs are marketed across various states. “Two such panels should be constituted for spurious and narcotic-based drugs so that the reputation of pharmaceutical industry of Himachal is not besmirched time and again by such fictitious firms producing spurious drugs”observed Gupta.
“The state follows a zero-tolerance policy against such offenders. In the past, stringent actions, including arrests, have been made when spurious drug cases were unearthed in the state,” said Kapoor.
While we are vigilant to trace such fictitious firms, the regulatory authorities across the country should take stringent action against such fraudulent activities and protect the integrity of the pharmaceutical sector remarked the official.
