State Drug Alert: Ciprofloxacin, Lorazepam, Albendazole Among 97 NSQ Samples Flagged in July

The drugs flagged span a wide range of therapeutic categories, including antibiotics, vitamins, injectables, antidiabetics, antihypertensives, and antacids, raising red flags about quality assurance and regulatory enforcement at the state level. For the month of July 2025, the following States/UTs did not report any NSQ drug samples: Andaman & Nicobar, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu, Delhi, Jharkhand, Kerala, Ladakh, Lakshadweep, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Puducherry, Sikkim, Tripura, and West Bengal. Under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, a drug is deemed “Not of Standard Quality” if it fails to meet the standards specified in the Second Schedule of the Act. Section 16(1)(a) defines the ‘standards of quality’ as compliance with those prescribed requirements. As part of continuous regulatory surveillance, CDSCO and state authorities routinely pick samples of drugs, cosmetics, and medical devices from sales and distribution points for analysis. The list of NSQ drugs is updated and displayed monthly on the CDSCO portal, enabling transparency and timely corrective actions.