6 medicine samples from IIOJK fail drug tests in month
Srinagar: Six drug samples lifted from Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir have been declared “Not of Standard Quality” (NSQ) in the latest monthly drug quality surveillance report of the Drugs Standard Control Organisation, raising fresh concerns about medicine safety and regulatory oversight in the territory.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the alert for May 2026 lists 111 batches of drugs failing quality tests nationwide. All six NSQ samples from Kashmir were tested at the Drug Testing Laboratory (DTL) Dalgate and include aceclofenac combinations, telmisartan-based formulations and other widely prescribed medicines. While detection of NSQ drugs is routine, attention in IIOJK is now focused on the lack of transparency from the regulator.
A review of the official Drugs and Food Control Organisation (DFCO) website shows the last publicly accessible drug testing and sampling updates are from March 2026.
No monthly reports, sample-testing data, enforcement actions or surveillance summaries have been uploaded since, leaving an information vacuum on current sampling, test results and action against manufacturers, distributors or retailers. Under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, samples are routinely drawn from pharmacies, hospitals and distribution chains and tested in government labs to detect substandard, misbranded or spurious medicines. DSCO publishes monthly NSQ alerts to alert hospitals, pharmacies and patients. Health experts stress that while surveillance systems are functioning, timely public disclosure of testing data and enforcement actions is equally critical to ensure patient safety.
