Minister Dinesh warns Centre on 'failed' injections

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao has said that nine injectable drugs manufactured in other states have failed the sterility tests done in the Karnataka government's laboratories. In a letter sent to the Union Health Minister J P Nadda, he said he has instructed officials of his department to take steps to ensure that these drugs are no longer sold in Karnataka.

The medicines that failed sterility tests are: Metronidazole injection manufactured by Pharma Impex Laboratories, Baruipur in West Bengal; Diclofenac Sodium Injection by Alpha Laboratories in Indore (MP); Dextrose injection by Rusoma Laboratories in Indore (MP); Metronidazole by IHL Lifesciences Private Limited in Khargone (MP); Frusemide by Paksons Pharmaceuticals at Bahadurgarh in Haryana; Piperacillin and Tazobactam by Modern Laboratories in Indore (MP); Calcium Gluconate and Ondansetron by Regain Laboratories at Hisar in Haryana; and Astropine Sulphate produced by Martin and Brown Bio sciences at Solan in Himachal Pradesh, Dinesh Gundu Rao said in his letter sent on Thursday. "I am writing to bring your attention to the repeated instances of sale within Karnataka of contaminated injectable drugs manufactured in other states," Rao wrote to Nadda. Between 1 January 2025 and 16 February 2025, nine injectable drugs manufactured in other states failed ‘sterility testing' in Karnataka government's laboratories, he explained.

Sharing the details of the drugs along with batch numbers in his letter, Rao pointed out that the list did not include ‘numerous injectables' manufactured by Paschim Banga Pharmaceuticals based in West Bengal, "whose contaminated injectables caused the deaths of five young mothers in Ballari district of Karnataka". "While I am instructing my department to take adequate steps to ensure these drugs are no longer sold within Karnataka, it is highly likely that other contaminated drugs manufactured by these companies are being sold in other states in India,” the Minister said.

He said injectables are used in acute care and therefore are high risk to patients. "Given the 'life or death' consequences for patients being administered these contaminated drugs, I request you to use your good offices to ensure that all products sold by these companies are withdrawn from the market across India and that these companies are not allowed to sell any more drugs until they are inspected by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) for compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP),” the Minister told Nadda.