Rajasthan drug quality test: 8 of 587 samples fail in July 2025
Synopsis
Rajasthan's July drug quality sweep found 8 of 587 samples substandard — a 1.36% failure rate spanning antibiotics, antihypertensives, antiseptics, and painkillers made by out-of-state manufacturers. Statutory action is now underway, but the findings raise a quiet question: if nearly 1 in 100 samples fails, how many go untested?
Key Takeaways
579 of 587 medicine samples tested by Rajasthan's Drug Testing Laboratory in July 2025 passed quality standards — a 98.64% pass rate.
Eight samples were classified as Not of Standard Quality (NSQ) , representing 1.36% of the total tested.
Failed medicines include Cefixime with Lactic Acid Bacillus tablets , Nifedipine SR tablets , Metronidazole tablets , and Tapentadol Hydrochloride tablets , among others.
The substandard drugs were manufactured by companies based in different states , not solely Rajasthan.
Food Safety and Drug Control Commissioner T.
Shubhamangala confirmed statutory action under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act has been initiated against the manufacturers.
Rajasthan's Drug Control Organisation reported on 4 August that 579 of 587 medicine samples tested in July 2025 met prescribed quality standards — a pass rate of 98.64% — while eight samples were classified as Not of Standard Quality (NSQ). The findings emerged from the state's routine monthly surveillance programme conducted by the Drug Testing Laboratory.
Medicines That Failed the Test
The eight NSQ samples span a range of therapeutic categories. They include Cefixime with Lactic Acid Bacillus tablets, Nifedipine Sustained Release tablets, Formaldehyde solution, Betamethasone Sodium Phosphate injection, Metronidazole tablets, Cefixime and Ofloxacin dispersible tablets, Tapentadol Hydrochloride tablets, and Levocetirizine Dihydrochloride tablets. According to officials, these medicines were manufactured by pharmaceutical companies located in different states — not exclusively Rajasthan-based firms.
What the Government Said
Principal Secretary (Medical and Health) Gayatri Rathore said the Drug Control Organisation regularly collects samples from across the state and subjects them to scientific testing to safeguard public health. The objective, she noted, is to ensure that only quality medicines reach consumers.
Food Safety and Drug Control Commissioner T. Shubhamangala confirmed that statutory action has been initiated against the manufacturers of the substandard medicines under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and related regulations. She added that directions have been issued to concerned drug control officers to take appropriate follow-up action.
How the Surveillance Works
The monthly quality assessment is part of a structured market surveillance framework maintained by the state. Samples are collected from pharmacies, distributors, and healthcare facilities across Rajasthan's districts and sent to the Drug Testing Laboratory for analysis. This is a standard protocol followed by drug regulatory bodies across Indian states, though the rigour of enforcement action against NSQ findings varies.
What Happens Next
The department has stated it will continue regular market surveillance and quality testing. Officials have warned that strict action will be taken against manufacturers and other stakeholders found violating quality norms. The initiation of proceedings under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act can result in penalties, licence suspension, or product recalls, depending on the severity of the violation.
Point of View
But the eight NSQ samples are not trivial — they include a painkiller (Tapentadol), an antihypertensive (Nifedipine SR), and an antibiotic combination (Cefixime-Ofloxacin), all medicines that patients depend on for serious conditions. The fact that the manufacturers are spread across multiple states points to a systemic gap in origin-state oversight, not just Rajasthan's market. Routine surveillance is necessary, but the real accountability question is whether the statutory action that follows NSQ findings results in licence suspensions or merely notices — a distinction the public rarely gets to see.
NationPress
4 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Which medicines failed the quality test in Rajasthan in July 2025?
Eight medicines were classified as Not of Standard Quality (NSQ) in Rajasthan's July 2025 drug testing round. They include Cefixime with Lactic Acid Bacillus tablets, Nifedipine Sustained Release tablets, Formaldehyde solution, Betamethasone Sodium Phosphate injection, Metronidazole tablets, Cefixime and Ofloxacin dispersible tablets, Tapentadol Hydrochloride tablets, and Levocetirizine Dihydrochloride tablets.
What is the overall pass rate for Rajasthan's July 2025 drug quality tests?
Of 587 drug samples tested, 579 passed — a pass rate of 98.64%. The remaining eight samples, or 1.36%, were found to be Not of Standard Quality (NSQ) and have triggered regulatory action.
What action is being taken against manufacturers of substandard medicines?
Food Safety and Drug Control Commissioner T. Shubhamangala confirmed that statutory action has been initiated against the manufacturers under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and related regulations. Drug control officers have also been directed to take appropriate follow-up action.
Where were the substandard medicines manufactured?
According to officials, the eight NSQ medicines were manufactured by pharmaceutical companies located in different states across India, not exclusively in Rajasthan. This means enforcement action involves coordination with drug regulators in those respective states.
How does Rajasthan's drug surveillance programme work?
The Drug Control Organisation collects medicine samples from pharmacies, distributors, and healthcare facilities across the state each month. These samples are sent to the Drug Testing Laboratory for scientific analysis under the state's routine market surveillance programme, aimed at ensuring only safe and effective medicines reach consumers.
