Drug quality issues reach record high in 2023

Recording the highest number of quality failures of drugs in a year, a total of 100 drugs have failed quality tests so far in 2023, according to the Medical Supplies Division of the Health Ministry.

Of the drugs that had failed quality tests, about 52 were manufactured in India, while 40 drugs were locally produced and the others had originated from countries like China, Pakistan, Japan and Bangladesh etc.

Among the drugs identified as having failed the quality tests, some have been withdrawn, withheld or discontinued.

Besides, a total of 35 batches of Flucloxacillin Cap have been withdrawn in May, recording the highest so far since 2017, in terms of the number of batches. The particular drug has been manufactured by the State Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Corporation in Ratmalana.

According to the Health Ministry, there have been a total of nearly 600 cases of quality failures since 2017. The second highest number of such cases numbering 96 were reported in 2019, while 86 drugs had failed quality tests in 2022.

The quality issues in drugs made headlines with several complications and deaths being reported in 2023.