New Delhi, Oct. 28 -- The Himachal Pradesh Drugs Control Administration has asked patients and the public to stop using specific batches of medicines declared 'not of standard quality' (NSQ) by the central drug regulator, according to the two senior government officials familiar with the matter and documents reviewed by Mint.

The alert follows the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation's (CDSCO) September 2026 report, which flagged 330 drug samples nationwide as sub-standard. Of these, 92 originated from Himachal Pradesh manufacturers.

State health authorities confirmed that 70 of the 92 failed critical efficacy parameters-specifically assay and dissolution tests-while 22 showed minor defects, such as labelling issues. To enforce c...