Kerala Blocks 17 Faulty Medicines Including Rabeprazole, Ciprofloxacin After Counterfeit Seizure
Thiruvananthapuram: In a major regulatory move aimed at strengthening drug safety, the Kerala government has banned the sale of 10 allopathic medicines and 7 Ayurvedic arishtams after they were declared substandard during official laboratory testing.
The decision was prompted by growing concerns over poor-quality medicines and follows the recent seizure of counterfeit inhaler medicines worth nearly ₹2 lakh from the state.
The banned Ayurvedic formulations, each having a ten-year validity period from the date of manufacture, include Amritarishtam (Batch 0110), Kanakasavam (0114), Ashwagandharishtam (111), Usirasavam (0117), Kudajarishtam (0113) and Abhayarishtam (109), all manufactured by Karunagappally Bala Herbals. Another batch, Ashokaristam (0220) produced by Karunagappally Shiva Ayurvedic Pharmaceuticals, was also restricted after failing to meet mandatory quality specifications.
The list of prohibited allopathic drugs spans several therapeutic categories and manufacturers. They include Rabeprazole Sodium Tablets IP 20 mg (Torab) by OAKSUN Lifesciences; Montelukast & Levocetirizine Tablets (Lecet-M) by Spinka Pharma; Glimepiride Tablets IP 2 mg by Kerala State Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Ltd.; Ranitidine Oral Solution IP (Raani Drops) from Sresan Pharmaceuticals; Aceclofenac + Paracetamol Tablets (Richnac-P) of J M Laboratories; Cyproheptadine Hydrochloride Syrup (Hepsandin Syrup) by Sresan Pharmaceuticals; Clopidogrel + Aspirin Tablets (Clopidomed A-150) from Ikon Pharmachem; Calcium + Vitamin D3 Tablets from Bangal Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals Ltd.; Clopidogrel + Aspirin Tablets by Theon Pharmaceuticals; Paracetamol + Tramadol Hydrochloride Tablets (Tracet) manufactured by Chimak Healthcare; and Ciprofloxacin Hydrochloride Tablets IP 500 mg (Ciprodac-500) produced by Cadila Pharmaceuticals. Every listed batch failed state-level quality analysis.
The crackdown was initiated after drug inspectors discovered counterfeit inhalers—commonly used by asthma patients—triggering a broader investigation across pharmacies and supply chains. According to the recent media report published in Mathrubhumi English, the findings raised serious concerns about counterfeit products and substandard formulations entering the market, prompting immediate enforcement action.
