Substandard antibiotics have been discovered in a Noida district hospital, raising serious concerns about patient safety as well as for policymakers and administrators of safety standards. A batch of antibiotics, amoxicillin and potassium clavulanate (IP 625 mg), given to the patients at the district hospital of Noida in Sector 39 did not pass the quality test conducted by the Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA). The antibiotics of substandard quality have been supplied by an Indore-based pharma company. The drug administrators claimed that the antibiotics in question would not be effective and the potency of the drugs seemed to be less efficacious, although no harm would be inflicted on patients.
The FSDA officials have seized the entire stock and put a break on the distribution of the further supply of generic medicine to the hospitals. According to FSDA, every ingredient or component must have a 90% content standard, but in the case of potassium clavulanate, the drug in question was found below 80%, which makes it less effective to provide relief to the patients. The drug is used to treat the infections. Drug Inspector of Noida, Jai Singh, said, “The samples of three medicines were taken to the lab for routine testing last week, and the outcome of the result is not satisfactory.”
The hospital has been formally notified, and the further investigation is still underway to make it concrete because 10% deficiency in the content of medicine is huge. 1 mg of medicine can do miracles for your health, and therefore 10% reduced content in medicine is a grave concern. A legal action will be taken against the hospital and pharma company as well.
As per officials of the FSDA, nearly 8,000 tablets of amoxicillin were distributed in the past month to the patients. The remaining stock will be either returned back to the supplier to allow them to investigate themselves on the aspect of reduced ingredients of the antibiotics in question.
Dr. Renu Agarwal, Chief Medical Superintendent (CMS), said, “This is really unacceptable and going against the commitment of the hospital. We will also investigate it thoroughly and do whatever is required to let it not happen in the future."