Himachal HC seeks responses from State and Central Govts over Substandard Medicines

April 25, 2026

The Himachal Pradesh High Court has taken serious cognizance of the issue regarding the manufacture of substandard and unsafe medicines within the state. While hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), a division bench comprising Chief Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia and Justice Bipin Chandra Negi issued notices to the State Government and relevant departments of the Central Government, seeking their responses.

The Court expressed concern that these medicines could pose a grave threat to public health and safety. Given the gravity of the matter, the Court directed that the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (Government of India) be impleaded as respondents in this case.

Furthermore, the Court directed that this matter be listed alongside another similar pending Public Interest Litigation. The Court initiated this action based on a letter received by the Chief Justice from the Secretariat, as well as reports published in various newspapers.

According to these reports, the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has directed the State Drug Authority to immediately halt the manufacture and distribution of 26 specific medicines produced by 19 pharmaceutical companies located in Baddi, Solan, Paonta Sahib, and Kangra.

190 Medicines Fail Quality Standards in Three Months

Cases involving the failure of medicine samples to meet quality standards are surfacing with increasing frequency in Himachal Pradesh. Within just the first three months of this year, 190 medicine samples were found to be substandard. Specifically, 71 samples failed in January, 73 in February, and 46 in March. These included medicines prescribed for conditions such as pneumonia, ulcers, high blood pressure, asthma, and kidney-related ailments.