The move came after the department's labs tested batches of these medicines in the second quarter of July and flagged them for failing to meet safety and efficacy standards.
Published Aug 05, 2025 | 4:41 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 05, 2025 | 4:43 PM
Banned medicines. (Representative image)
Synopsis: The Kerala State Drugs Control Department has banned several commonly used medicines, including paracetamol, saline, acidity drugs, heart medications, vitamins, and antibiotics, after routine lab tests found specific batches substandard. Hospitals and pharmacies have been ordered to return the affected stock. The banned drugs span treatments for fever, allergies, nerve pain, nausea, Alzheimer’s, and more.
The Kerala State Drugs Control Department has banned the sale and distribution of several commonly used medicines, ranging from simple fever tablets to critical blood pressure and heart medications, after they were found to be of substandard quality during routine laboratory checks.
The move came after the department’s labs tested batches of these medicines in the second quarter of July and flagged them for failing to meet safety and efficacy standards.
Hospitals, pharmacies, and medical distributors across the state have been directed to return the affected stock to the respective suppliers and inform local drug control authorities.
While the issue involves only specific batches and not the medicines as a whole, the list includes everyday drugs that are widely used in households and hospitals alike.
Among the most concerning findings is a batch of paracetamol 500mg tablets manufactured by Healer’s Lab in Himachal Pradesh (batch PAK-642, expiry 01/2027) – a medication found in virtually every household medicine cabinet across the state.
Three batches of saline solution (sodium chloride 0.9% injection) used widely in hospitals for drips and mixing with other injectable medicines have also been removed from circulation. These batches, manufactured by Sunlife Pharma Services in Himachal Pradesh, carry batch numbers 24062008, 24052009, and 24052011.
Patients who take vitamin supplements were not spared either. Batches of vitamin B complex tablets and folic acid tablets, which are often recommended for energy, nerve health, and pregnancy, have been banned. A batch of calcium and vitamin D3 tablets, commonly prescribed for bone health, especially in the elderly, was also blacklisted.
Medicines used to treat allergies, vomiting, nerve-related pain, and even Alzheimer’s symptoms were found on the list. These include tablets combining levocetirizine and montelukast for allergies and asthma, ondansetron used to prevent nausea and vomiting, gabapentin combined with vitamin B12 for nerve pain, and donepezil, a drug used to manage Alzheimer’s disease.
Several batches of medicines used to treat acidity and gastric issues have also failed the quality test. This includes pantoprazole and omeprazole, which are often taken for acid reflux or ulcers, as well as rabeprazole, another commonly prescribed drug for stomach-related problems.
The department also banned two batches of nitroglycerin tablets used to prevent chest pain in heart patients and a batch of verapamil tablets used to treat high blood pressure and irregular heartbeats. A batch of enalapril tablets, another popular medicine for managing blood pressure and heart failure, was also found to be substandard.
One of the batches of sodium bicarbonate tablets, often used to relieve indigestion or excess stomach acid, was also found to be of poor quality. Even a batch of an antibiotic combination that includes amoxicillin and clavulanic acid, along with probiotics, was banned for not meeting safety standards.
(Edited by Sumavarsha, with inputs from Sumit Jha)
