Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya reaffirmed India’s commitment to ensuring the quality of medicines and vowed to prevent fatalities caused by spurious drugs. His statement came in response to the World Health Organization (WHO) investigating alleged deaths linked to contaminated cough syrups, including seven Indian-made products. The WHO identified a total of twenty toxic medicines, with over 200 reported deaths worldwide. Mandaviya emphasized a “zero tolerance” policy towards spurious medicines and revealed that show-cause notices have been issued to 71 companies, while 18 linked shops have been asked to shut down. He highlighted India’s role as the “pharmacy of the world” and the country’s commitment to maintaining high-quality standards. India is the largest provider of generic drugs globally and supplies approximately 50% of the global demand for vaccines. To address concerns, India has implemented new regulations requiring cough syrup exporters to conduct tests and provide a certificate of analysis before exporting their products. The government aims to ensure the safety and quality of Indian medicines and address any potential risks associated with spurious drugs.
