Solan : In a bid to ensure quality drug production, seven pharmaceutical firms were told to stop manufacturing in various pharmaceutical clusters after they were found not complying with the laid norms as enshrined in the Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).
While the orders were revoked in six cases after a month of suspension by the drug authorities in January and February, one firm where the laxities were grave was yet to comply. The said firm has been directed to upgrade its facility to meet the norms.
As many as 35 firms were inspected during the first phase while another 35 were being inspected during the ongoing second phase, said officials. The action follows multiple cases of spurious drugs being manufactured in the state. Himachal houses around 650 drug firms, the maximum 450 being located in the Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh industrial belt, called Asia’s pharmaceutical hub. The rest are in Paonta Sahib, Kala Amb and other parts. To identify potential hazards affecting the quality of drugs available to the common man, risk-based assessments are done in pharmaceutical firms from time to time.
State Drugs Controller Navneet Marwaha said the seven firms were issued “stop manufacturing” directions after shortcomings were found in the GMP compliance. He said while six of the companies subsequently complied with the laid norms, the seventh was upgrading its facility to meet the guidelines.
Marwaha said they conducted 3,000 inspections over the last three years with several firms being checked multiple times. He said 43 cases of non-compliance were found during the period.
Officials said critical observations such as “non-functional air handling units” and “dysfunctional lab equipment” in the micro-labs of these firms had come to the fore. As it could adversely affect the quality of drugs produced, all the firms were issued directions to stop manufacturing till their systems were rectified, the officials said.
