CDSCO Flags 159 Substandard Drug Samples As NSQ, Including 14 Linked To Maharashtra

Mumbai, July 31, 2026: India's central drug regulator has flagged 159 drug samples as “Not of Standard Quality” (NSQ) during routine quality surveillance conducted in June, including 14 samples from Maharashtra, according to the latest monthly alert issued by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).

Of the 14 NSQ samples linked to Maharashtra, eight were tested by the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s State Drug Testing Laboratory, highlighting the state's ongoing surveillance against substandard, fake and spurious medicines.

National Surveillance Findings

Nationally, 27 NSQ samples were identified by the Central Drugs Laboratories, while the remaining 132 were detected by State Drugs Testing Laboratories across the country.

"The identification of drug samples as NSQ is based on the failure of one or more specified quality parameters. The failure is specific to the batch tested by the Government Laboratory and does not warrant concerns regarding other batches or drug products available in the market," the drug regulator said.

Products Found NSQ

From cosmetic products to commonly used fever medicines, several samples tested at the Maharashtra FDA's State Drug Testing Laboratory were found to be Not of Standard Quality (NSQ).

These included Paracetamol Paediatric Oral Suspension IP, a medicine widely used to reduce fever and relieve pain in children; Tinycold-AF Syrup, used to treat common cold and allergy symptoms such as a runny or blocked nose, sneezing and watery eyes; Triphala Churna, an Ayurvedic formulation commonly used to aid digestion and relieve constipation; and Kumkum, a cosmetic product traditionally applied on the forehead and used during religious rituals.

Officials said the matter is under investigation, and products suspected of being spurious will continue to be treated as such until the inquiry is completed.

Ministry Clarification

Under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, a drug is considered spurious if it is manufactured under the name of another product or imitates another medicine in a manner likely to deceive consumers.

The Union Health Ministry clarified that the findings relate only to the specific batches tested and should not be interpreted as reflecting the quality of other batches of the same medicines available in the market.

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Authorities said the identification of NSQ and spurious drugs is part of a routine nationwide surveillance programme conducted jointly by the CDSCO and state drug regulators to detect and remove substandard medicines from circulation.

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