Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh government planning to take stringent action against pharmaceutical units manufacturing substandard medicines, with Health Minister Dhani Ram Shandil stating that such industries will not be allowed to continue operations in the state.
Expressing concern over the repeated failure of medicine samples in quality tests, Shandil said the state government was considering stricter measures to deal with pharmaceutical companies violating quality standards. The issue is expected to be discussed in the state Cabinet, following which existing laws may be further strengthened and new regulatory provisions introduced.
The minister made it clear that pharmaceutical units found manufacturing substandard medicines would face strict action. The government is also considering provisions to prevent such manufacturers from establishing new industrial ventures in the future.
Shandil said the government would not tolerate companies compromising the quality of medicines for financial gain. He added that the State Drug Controller was performing effectively, enabling the detection of medicines that failed to meet prescribed quality standards.
Under the existing mechanism, when a medicine sample fails quality testing, action is initiated against the concerned company under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. The process includes recalling the affected batch, issuing notices to the manufacturer and conducting an independent investigation. Depending on the findings, authorities may also order a halt to production and suspend or cancel the company’s manufacturing licence.
93 medicine samples from Himachal fail quality tests
The repeated failure of medicine samples has raised concerns about quality control in Himachal Pradesh, which is a major pharmaceutical manufacturing hub. According to the figures cited in the report, around 330 medicine samples manufactured across the country have failed quality tests this year, of which 93 were manufactured in Himachal Pradesh. Some of the affected products are linked to pharmaceutical units in Solan district.
The situation has also drawn attention to the number of failures reported in recent months. Nearly 62 samples of medicines manufactured in the state reportedly failed quality tests in August alone. In addition, 82 samples produced in Himachal Pradesh failed quality tests during the 2025–26 period.
The Health Department has also reported that 1,471 medicine samples failed quality tests during the two-year period ending March 2025, highlighting the continuing challenge of ensuring the quality and safety of pharmaceutical products.
The failed samples include syrups intended for children, raising particular concerns about the quality of medicines used by vulnerable patients. Other affected products reportedly include medicines used to treat fever, pain, cough, acidity, infections, anaemia, allergies, high blood pressure, heart-related conditions, inflammation, malaria and thyroid disorders. Samples of various injections and vitamin supplements have also failed to meet prescribed quality standards.
