At least 15 pharmaceutical products linked to firms registered in the industrial hubs of Haridwar and Roorkee have failed quality tests conducted by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), officials confirmed Monday, raising serious concerns over drug safety and compliance in Uttarakhand’s manufacturing sector.

The CDSCO flagged the drugs as Not of Standard Quality (NSQ) in a list released on June 20, following routine quality surveillance conducted across multiple states at distribution and retail levels, reported TOI.

Among the failed products are widely used formulations including Albendazole, Amoxycillin and Potassium Clavulanate, Methylcobalamin, Dapagliflozin, and Paracetamol, as well as multivitamin and combination drugs like MITO Q7 syrup and softgel capsules containing Alpha Lipoic Acid and Inositol.

Haridwar drug inspector Anita Bharti told reporters that multiple state agencies were involved in sample collection. “A total of 15 drug samples were found substandard, and we issued notices to take action as per law,” Bharti said.

Crucially, the probe revealed that several of the flagged companies operate with only a registered address in Haridwar, while actual production either does not take place or remains untraceable. “During the investigation, it found that many firms only maintain a registered address in Haridwar with no actual production facility. We have issued notices to all these companies.”

This is not the first time Uttarakhand’s pharmaceutical ecosystem has come under scrutiny. The Haridwar-Roorkee belt, known for attracting firms due to tax incentives and infrastructure, has seen a surge in drug manufacturing units over the past decade. However, lapses in regulatory oversight and lack of on-ground verification have raised red flags.

Officials say further inspections are planned to assess compliance and manufacturing authenticity across industrial clusters in the state.

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