News for 'drug quality'

60 Drug Samples Fail Quality Standards in February: Health Ministry

60 Drug Samples Fail Quality Standards in February: Health Ministry

Rediff.com5 days ago

The Central Drugs Laboratories identified 60 drug samples as 'not of standard quality' in February, while state labs found 134 substandard samples. Investigations are underway for spurious drugs manufactured by unauthorised companies.

Delhi Drug Department Seizes Insulin Stocks Over Storage Violations

Delhi Drug Department Seizes Insulin Stocks Over Storage Violations

Rediff.com6 Mar 2026

The Delhi Drugs Control Department seized insulin stocks worth over Rs 20 lakh from wholesale drug firms for allegedly violating storage and regulatory norms.

Patna Police Nab Narcotics Supplier, Seize 7.5 Crore Worth of Drugs

Patna Police Nab Narcotics Supplier, Seize 7.5 Crore Worth of Drugs

Rediff.com15 Mar 2026

Patna Police arrested a major narcotics supplier and seized drugs worth approximately 7.5 crore during a raid in the Khagaul area. The operation uncovered heroin and brown sugar, along with evidence suggesting the suspect amassed significant wealth through illegal drug trade.

CDSCO allows immediate lab testing of drugs to speed up approvals

CDSCO allows immediate lab testing of drugs to speed up approvals

Rediff.com27 Feb 2026

The Centre has allowed companies to begin lab testing immediately after filing applications instead of waiting for detailed scrutiny, in a move to expedite approvals for manufacture, or import of new drugs.

US Senator warns against poor-quality drugs from India

US Senator warns against poor-quality drugs from India

Rediff.com17 Oct 2025

United States Senator Jim Banks has urged the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to step up inspections of overseas pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities, expressing concern over poor-quality drugs being imported from countries like India and China.

AI is fast becoming central to how drugs will be discovered

AI is fast becoming central to how drugs will be discovered

Rediff.com25 Feb 2026

Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a side conversation for Indian pharma. It is fast becoming central to how drugs will be discovered, made, and supplied. Along with that shift comes a sharper focus on innovation, on the one hand, and quality and trust, on the other.

Budget 2026 boosts healthcare spend, drugs relief

Budget 2026 boosts healthcare spend, drugs relief

Rediff.com1 Feb 2026

The government on Sunday gave a strong push to upgradation and expansion of healthcare infrastructure, medical education and pharma sector with the Union Budget 2026-27 announcing a slew of steps, including those aimed at making India a global hub for allied healthcare professionals and biopharma manufacturing.

Jammu SSP Reviews Security, Crime Situation in District

Jammu SSP Reviews Security, Crime Situation in District

Rediff.com5 Mar 2026

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Jammu Joginder Singh reviewed the security and crime situation in the district, directing officers to maintain heightened vigilance and strengthen surveillance.

Biocon launches diabetes & obesity drugs in Netherlands

Biocon launches diabetes & obesity drugs in Netherlands

Rediff.com16 Dec 2025

Biocon Limited has launched its GLP-1 peptide, liraglutide, for the treatment of diabetes and obesity in the Netherlands, as the biopharmaceutical firm positions itself as a global player in the fast-growing diabetes and obesity market currently dominated by the likes of Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly.

UP Police Prioritises Preventive Policing and Speedy Case Resolution

UP Police Prioritises Preventive Policing and Speedy Case Resolution

Rediff.com11 Mar 2026

Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police Rajeev Krishna has directed officers to strengthen preventive policing and ensure timely disposal of investigations across the state.

Dhurandhar: Storytelling In The Age Of Restless Viewers

Dhurandhar: Storytelling In The Age Of Restless Viewers

Rediff.com3 days ago

If the stories are food for the mind then our digestive system has changed. If they are a piece of art, our gaze has altered. This calls for a change not in stories, but in the grammar of storytelling so that it can cut through the deluge and gluttony and force people to savour, appreciate and re-visit it. That is what the creators of Taskaree or Dhurandhar are trying, points out Vanita Kohli-Khandekar.

How Sleep, Screen Time Affect Your Sex Life

How Sleep, Screen Time Affect Your Sex Life

Rediff.com11 Mar 2026

Burnout reduces pleasure, curiosity, and the ability to feel desire, even in healthy relationships.

Karnataka bans social media for children under 16

Karnataka bans social media for children under 16

Rediff.com6 Mar 2026

Karnataka Chief Minister announces a ban on social media for children under 16 and increased measures to prevent drug abuse in schools, colleges, and universities, alongside investments in education infrastructure and mental health support.

India launches nationwide HPV vaccination drive

India launches nationwide HPV vaccination drive

Rediff.com24 Feb 2026

The Indian government is set to launch a nationwide HPV vaccination program targeting 14-year-old girls to prevent cervical cancer, utilizing a single-dose vaccine and aiming for equitable access across socio-economic groups.

Indian pharma to get stronger dose of EU mkt access

Indian pharma to get stronger dose of EU mkt access

Rediff.com5 Feb 2026

The European Union's (EU's) offer to slash tariffs on 97.5 per cent of Indian chemical exports to zero is set to give India's pharmaceutical and medical device firms preferential access to the European markets.

618 Drugs 'Not Of Standard Quality'

618 Drugs 'Not Of Standard Quality'

Rediff.com9 Dec 2024

Among the commonly used analgesic formulations (painkillers) found NSQ are combinations of paracetamol with ibuprofen, diclofenac and mefenamic acid. Medications using these combinations are commonly used to treat fever, mild migraine, period and muscle pain.

Cough Medicine Deaths: Rajasthan Suspends Drug Controller

Cough Medicine Deaths: Rajasthan Suspends Drug Controller

Rediff.com4 Oct 2025

The Rajasthan government has suspended the state drug controller and halted the distribution of medicines manufactured by Kaysons Pharma following reports of children's deaths allegedly linked to contaminated cough syrup.

Quality Lapses Shut Down Drug Makers

Quality Lapses Shut Down Drug Makers

Rediff.com28 Jun 2024

Most of the pharma units are failing in documentation, and validation processes, and many don't have full-fledged quality control laboratories.

Coldrif syrup maker used industrial-grade materials: ED

Coldrif syrup maker used industrial-grade materials: ED

Rediff.com3 Dec 2025

An Enforcement Directorate (ED) probe has revealed that the manufacturer of Coldrif syrup, linked to the deaths of at least 20 children in Madhya Pradesh, used industrial-grade raw materials without quality checks. The investigation also found that Tamil Nadu Drugs Control Department officials were in frequent contact with the company but failed to conduct mandated inspections.

Union Budget 2026: Sitharaman tries to cover all bases, leaves out markets

Union Budget 2026: Sitharaman tries to cover all bases, leaves out markets

Rediff.com1 Feb 2026

Budget 2026 sticks to fiscal discipline, shuns populist measures despite five key state elections coming up, but ends up rattling stock markets with a higher transaction tax on derivatives trading.

GST cut on drugs, medical devices to help patients

GST cut on drugs, medical devices to help patients

Rediff.com4 Sep 2025

The government's move to cut GST on medicines and medical devices while exempting lifesaving drugs from the levy is a bold step that will bring direct relief to patients and families while significantly reducing financial strain on them, pharmaceuticals and healthcare industry players said on Thursday.

A long-game Budget

A long-game Budget

Rediff.com2 Feb 2026

The Union Budget for 2026-27, presented by Finance Minister (FM) Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday, which was a first, had an excellent domestic macro backdrop. According to the first advance estimates, gross domestic product (GDP) in constant prices is projected to grow 7.4 per cent in the current financial year, against 6.5 per cent in 2024-25.

Abolish or reduce tax on air purifiers in Delhi, HC tells GST Council

Abolish or reduce tax on air purifiers in Delhi, HC tells GST Council

Rediff.com24 Dec 2025

The Delhi High Court has directed the GST Council to consider lowering or abolishing the goods and services tax on air purifiers, citing worsening air quality in the national capital. The court has asked the council to meet at the earliest, even via video conference if necessary, to address the issue.

Cough syrup deaths: Many states ban Coldrif; MP suspends officials

Cough syrup deaths: Many states ban Coldrif; MP suspends officials

Rediff.com7 Oct 2025

A special investigation team (SIT) has been formed in Madhya Pradesh to investigate the deaths of 14 children in Chhindwara, suspected to be linked to a toxic cough syrup. The investigation includes arrests, exhumations, and a ban on the implicated cough syrup.

Ozempic launched in India, priced at Rs 2,200 per week

Ozempic launched in India, priced at Rs 2,200 per week

Rediff.com12 Dec 2025

Danish pharma major Novo Nordisk on Friday launched its blockbuster type 2 diabetes treatment injection Ozempic, globally popular for its weight-loss benefits.

Delhi pollution worsens: HC questions 18% GST on air purifiers

Delhi pollution worsens: HC questions 18% GST on air purifiers

Rediff.com26 Dec 2025

The Delhi High Court has asked the central government why it cannot reduce the GST on air purifiers, considering the poor air quality in Delhi. The court's concern is that the current 18% GST makes air purifiers unaffordable for the common man.

Govt launches all India drive to test cough syrups

Govt launches all India drive to test cough syrups

Rediff.com9 Oct 2025

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has initiated a nationwide campaign to test, inspect, and audit cough syrup manufacturers following concerns about contaminated products and child deaths. The initiative aims to ensure adherence to safety standards and regulatory compliance.

HC quashes licence cancellation of drug firm linked to Uzbek deaths

HC quashes licence cancellation of drug firm linked to Uzbek deaths

Rediff.com15 Jun 2025

Justice Dinesh Pathak, allowing a writ petition filed by M/s Marion Biotech Private Limited, observed that he was surprised that Indian authorities are "trying to validate their proceedings" based on the judgement of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Is Pharmaceutical Engg Better Than BPham And PharmD?

Is Pharmaceutical Engg Better Than BPham And PharmD?

Rediff.com11 Nov 2025

rediffGURU Nayagam PP advises young aspirants how to pick the right course and career.

Cough syrup deaths: IMA slams doctor's arrest

Cough syrup deaths: IMA slams doctor's arrest

Rediff.com7 Oct 2025

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has defended a doctor arrested in connection with cough syrup deaths in Madhya Pradesh, attributing the incident to failures in the drugs regulatory system.

3 cough syrups have been recalled: India replies to WHO

3 cough syrups have been recalled: India replies to WHO

Rediff.com9 Oct 2025

India's drug regulator CDSCO has recalled three cough syrups and halted their production after the WHO raised concerns about potential contamination and links to child deaths. The WHO is investigating reports of pediatric illnesses and deaths in India potentially linked to contaminated syrups.

Was killer cough syrup exported, asks WHO to India

Was killer cough syrup exported, asks WHO to India

Rediff.com9 Oct 2025

The WHO will take a call on issuing a 'Global Medical Products Alert' on the cough syrup, Coldrif, after receiving an official confirmation from authorities here. The agency issues such alerts for substandard and contaminated medicines.

Where The Deadly Cough Syrup Was Made

Where The Deadly Cough Syrup Was Made

Rediff.com18 Oct 2025

Sandwiched between a Hero MotoCorp showroom and a shop that hires out cooking utensils is a small, dingy building that's been locked up. The non-descript two-room building is a manufacturing unit of Sresan Pharmaceuticals, the pharma company made its Coldriff cough syrup that has allegedly killed 25 children in Madhya Pradesh.

Pharma owner arrested over cough syrup that killed 20 children

Pharma owner arrested over cough syrup that killed 20 children

Rediff.com9 Oct 2025

S Ranganathan, the owner of the Tamil Nadu-based pharmaceuticals company that manufactured the Coldrif cough syrup linked to 20 children's deaths, has been arrested.

Cough syrup deaths: No state follows pharma safety norms

Cough syrup deaths: No state follows pharma safety norms

Rediff.com10 Oct 2025

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) will conduct testing, inspection and auditing of cough syrup manufacturers.

Planning To Freeze Your Eggs? What You Must Know

Planning To Freeze Your Eggs? What You Must Know

Rediff.com2 Dec 2025

Dr Sulbha Arora, clinical director and fertility specialist at Nova IVF Fertility, explains everything you need to know about egg freezing in India, including the process, the cost and the risks involved.

'Goa Nightclub Fire Was Murder!'

'Goa Nightclub Fire Was Murder!'

Rediff.com9 Dec 2025

'When an establishment operates despite demolition or closure orders, without proper fire exits, evacuation plans or safety audits, and yet is allowed to host large crowds, the state cannot hide behind the language of accident.' 'The authorities were aware of the risks and of the violations, but chose not to act decisively because doing so would have inconvenienced those with influence and financial stakes.' 'In such a scenario, the moral and legal responsibility for the resulting deaths moves from negligence towards culpability; calling it 'murder' is a way of underlining that these lives were sacrificed at the altar of greed and complicity, not fate.'

Trump's 100% tariff on pharma unlikely to hurt domestic industry: Experts

Trump's 100% tariff on pharma unlikely to hurt domestic industry: Experts

Rediff.com26 Sep 2025

Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA) on Friday said US President Donald Trump's move to impose 100 per cent import tariffs on pharmaceutical drugs from October 1 will impact only patented and branded products, not generic medicines.

Rajasthan govt bans cough syrup after children's deaths

Rajasthan govt bans cough syrup after children's deaths

Rediff.com2 Oct 2025

A generic cough syrup supplied to the Rajasthan government has been linked to the deaths of two children and others falling sick in the state, prompting authorities to ban 22 batches of the drug and order an inquiry.

Tylenol row may not hit India's pharma exports

Tylenol row may not hit India's pharma exports

Rediff.com29 Sep 2025

Amid controversy over USPresident Donald Trump's comments linking the use of Tylenol and other related paracetamol products by pregnant women to autism in children, experts and industry executives say that since India's export of the drug to the US is less, it will hardly affect the country's pharma exports to America.