Shimla, Dec. 21 -- After 47 medicine samples manufactured in Himachal Pradesh failed quality tests, the state drug controller Manish Kapoor has issued notices to the concerned pharmaceutical companies, asking them to recall their stock from the market. These samples were part of a larger batch of 200 drugs tested nationwide that were found to be below standard, prompting the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) to issue a drug alert. The list of failed medicines, released earlier this week, stems from continuous regulatory surveillance, where samples are collected from sales and distribution points for laboratory testing. Out of the 200 substandard samples tested across India, 47 were manufactured in Himachal Pradesh, covering drugs used for common and serious ailments, including fever, heart conditions, diabetes, epilepsy and muscle spasms. According to reports, some of the major medicines that failed quality tests include paracetamol for fever, clopidogrel and aspirin for heart attacks, metformin for lowering blood sugar, ramipril for heart conditions, sodium valproate for epilepsy and mebeverine hydrochloride for reducing muscle spasms. The substandard medicines were traced to pharma companies located in different districts, with 28 samples from Solan, 18 from Sirmaur and one from Una. Manish Kapoor, state drug controller, Himachal Pradesh, said, "Notices have been issued to the companies whose medicine samples failed the quality tests and they have also been asked to recall the stock from the market. Explanations have been sought and action will be taken against the companies in accordance with regulatory provisions." In November 2025, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation collected 65 samples, while the state drug controller collected 135 samples. Of these, 47 were identified as substandard. There has been a consistent trend of medicine samples manufactured in the state failing quality tests. Health minister Dhani Ram Shandil had earlier announced that companies with recurring failures would be blacklisted and that the government has already been taking action in this regard. Meanwhile, BJP state spokesperson Sandeepani Bhardwaj raised serious concerns over the issue, calling it a direct threat to public health. He alleged that the failure of 47 drug samples manufactured in the state was proof that the drug manufacturing and quality control system had completely collapsed under the Congress government. Bhardwaj said the drugs whose samples failed include everyday and life-saving medicines such as paracetamol, metformin, ramipril, sodium valproate, clopidogrel, aspirin and mebeverine hydrochloride. He demanded immediate revocation of licences of companies manufacturing substandard medicines and sought fixation of responsibility of concerned government officials and inspectors. The BJP leader also linked the issue to delays in the Medical Device Park project, stating that effective implementation could have ensured better quality control while boosting investment and employment in the state....