Chennai: Medicines tested in January as part of routine quality checks showed that 29% were of substandard quality, according to the findings.
The Centre and state governments conduct monthly inspections and laboratory tests to ensure the quality of medicines sold across the country. Samples are drawn from pharmacies, retail outlets, wholesale depots, warehouses and manufacturing units.
Officials assess whether products have been manufactured in line with Drug Control Board guidelines. Medicines that do not meet the prescribed standards are classified as substandard.
In January, more than 1,000 medicines were examined nationwide. Of these, 215 were found to be substandard, including 43 samples from Tamil Nadu.
The report also noted substandard medicine shares of 21% in Karnataka and 17% in Rajasthan.
