'Himachal's Baddi Becoming 'Hub' Of Spurious Drugs': NHRC Notice To Health Ministry, DCGI And FSSAI

The NHRC issued notices to the Union Health Ministry, FSSAI, and the DCGI in response to reports that the Baddi Area has become a production hub for bogus drugs masquerading as food supplements.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued a notice to the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), and the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) on Friday (June 2) in response to a media report that the Baddi Industrial area of Solan in Himachal Pradesh has become a production hub for spurious vitamins, syrups, and drugs sold as food supplements by nutraceutical companies.

According to the commission, it has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report claiming that the Baddi Industrial area of Solan in Himachal Pradesh has become a production hub for bogus vitamins, syrups, and drugs marketed as food supplements by nutraceutical companies.

According to reports, more than 100 nutraceutical companies are active in the area, with licences to produce only food products under the Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006. As a result, the DCGI and the State Food Safety Department have no jurisdiction over these. Companies are taking advantage of the government departments' lack of coordination.

The NHRC statement said: "Five companies were sealed on 30th May, 2023, three of which had licences to produce food items and according to the law they cannot produce allopathic medicines. Until 2006, all nutraceutical companies were subject to the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954, and the Food Safety Department of the State had the authority to test samples, conduct investigations, and issue licences; however, when the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 was enacted, all powers were transferred to central agencies."

"Reportedly, the licenses of these companies are granted by the FSSAI under the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, which manages to visit Himachal Pradesh for checking the samples hardly once or twice a year only if any complaint is received," it added. 

Neither the Drug Controller nor the Food Supply Department of the State can conduct tests on the samples of the drugs and inquiries against these companies," the statement said. 

Last year, officials from the state drug control administration (DCA) sealed an illegal factory allegedly manufacturing counterfeit drugs in Baddi, Solan district, according to TOI. Officials also seized over 54,000 counterfeit capsules and 3,000 tablets of various drugs from the factory's premises.

A similar factory was discovered in Baddi in 2020, and the state drug control administration sealed six such units in Sirmaur's Kala Amb industrial area a few years ago.