Archive · 26 Jun 2025
Study: Many Made-in-India Chemotherapy Drugs Fail Quality Tests
Imagine medicine to fight cancer, but some of it doesn't work right.
A recent study found some chemotherapy drugs made in India don't meet the standards to help people.
This means the drugs either don't work, or are too strong and can hurt you.
Doctors in several countries are seeing patients get sick and the drugs aren't working.
The problem is the drugs don't have the right amount of medicine in them.
Some Indian companies make these drugs, but the study found that many of them are not of good quality.
The Indian government should be more careful to make sure drugs work.
Some companies don't want to take responsibility for this.
Study reveals many chemotherapy drugs, made in India, fail quality checks.
About 20% of tested samples from multiple countries didn't meet potency standards.
Faulty drugs can cause ineffective treatment, side effects, or even death.
Sixteen Indian drug manufacturers are linked to the substandard medications.
Some Indian pharmaceutical companies deny fault and blame storage issues.
- Who
- The UK-based Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ) conducted the investigation.
- What
- Chemotherapy drugs from India failed quality checks.
- When
- The study was recent.
- Where
- Samples sourced from pharmacies in Cameroon, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Malawi.
- Why
- Poor manufacturing standards, weak regulation, and cost-cutting are contributing factors.
Public Health Advocates
Indian Pharmaceutical Companies
Responsibility for Drug Quality
Public Health Advocates
Quality of medicines is paramount for patient safety.
Indian Pharmaceutical Companies
Pharmaceutical companies, like Venus Remedies, blame storage or distribution for potency loss.
Priorities
Public Health Advocates
India should prioritize patient safety and quality control over export volume.
Indian Pharmaceutical Companies
Some Indian companies suggest drugs meet standards and have passed checks.
- Number of Countries Where Drugs Were Tested
- 4
- Number of Brands Tested
- 20
- Number of Samples Tested
- 189
- Percentage of Samples Failed
- About 20%
- Drugs tested
- Cisplatin, methotrexate, and cyclophosphamide
- Number of Indian companies cited
- 16