40 Products, 3 Firms Blacklisted by Tamil Nadu Medical Services in 2 Years

Quick Summary:

• TNMSC Blacklisting Data:

– Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation (TNMSC) has blacklisted 40 drug and injection products and three firms over the past two years, primarily for failing to meet quality control norms.
– Breakdown:
– 2023-2024: 5 firms (2 for non-execution of purchase orders, 3 due to quality issues); 22 products (all quality failures).
– 2024-2025: 2 firms (quality-related); 26 products (22 quality-related, 4 for non-execution of purchase orders).
– 2025 till date: 1 firm; 14 products-all due to quality failures.

• Quality Check Processes:

– Quality compliance is assessed based on Indian/US/British Pharmacopoeia standards via National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories-accredited labs.- Drugs flagged as substandard undergo re-testing at government labs in Teynampet and Guindy.TNMSC works with contracts from a network of national laboratories.

• Reasons Cited in Blacklisting:

– Common reasons include “not of standard quality,” “purchase orders not executed,” “substandard quality,” or severe contamination like foreign objects in tablets. Misbranded drugs accounted for company-level bans starting from last year.

• Warehouse Monitoring & Equipment Standards:

– Warehouses are monitored by a centralized Drug Distribution Management System overseeing stock receipt, sampling processes, lab reports, distribution logistics, and fund management.
– Shelf-life expired drugs are disposed through biomedical waste management agencies approved by the T.N. Pollution Control Board annually.
– Equipment procured meets global certifications such as European CE/US FDA/equivalent Indian standards.

Indian opinion Analysis:

The TNMSC’s stringent measures demonstrate their commitment to ensuring the safety and efficacy of medicines distributed across tamil nadu’s government healthcare system. regular monitoring using accredited laboratories reflects a robust framework against substandard or unsafe pharmaceutical practices. Though,the recurrence of large-scale blacklisting highlights gaps either in supplier adherence to protocols or oversight during procurement stages.

While blacklisting serves as an effective deterrent against poor-quality manufacturers or suppliers, its sustained high numbers could impact public trust or create disruptions in drug availability within state-run facilities if alternates aren’t timely sourced. Moreover, instances such as the discovery of foreign material inside tablets underscore significant lapses that require heightened scrutiny within production facilities themselves-potentially beyond just localized checks at delivery points.

Enhancing pre-procurement vetting mechanisms along with imposing stricter industry-wide repercussions might better align India’s pharmaceutical export reputation with domestic safety expectations-a key priority given its global standing as a pharma hub.

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