Hindustan Laboratories Ltd blacklisted for supplying substandard iron folic acid syrup, says Maharashtra minister

Mumbai: Public health minister Prakash Abitkar on Wednesday told the assembly that Hindustan Laboratories Ltd (HLL) had been blacklisted for two years for supplying substandard iron folic acid 50 ml syrup.Abitkar was replying to a question raised by MLA Mahesh Choughule.“A total of 103 batches of iron folic acid 50 ml medicine were supplied by Hindustan Laboratories Ltd. After supply, a report was received from an NABL accredited laboratory before use that a total of 46 batches of samples were not of standard quality. The Food and Drug Administration, after conducting a quality check in its govt laboratory, reported that two batches of the medicines concerned were not of standard quality.

As per the said report and as per the conditions of the tender, Hindustan Laboratories Ltd has been blacklisted for the medicine iron folic acid 50 ml for the next two years,” Abitkar said in his reply.“Hindustan Laboratories Ltd was issued a supply order worth Rs 21.79 crore for a total of 43 medicines, including the medicine iron folic acid 50 ml. However, the company was not included in the tender as it was blacklisted for the medicine iron folic acid 50 ml,” Abitkar said.

“The company has been blacklisted for this medicine as it has been declared uncertified by the Maharashtra Medical Goods Procurement Authority. Accordingly, in the next tender, it was necessary to include them in the tender for other medicines other than iron folic acid 50 ml bottles. The authority has also published an order on its website to blacklist Hindustan Laboratories Ltd for the next two years for the medicine iron folic acid 50 ml and has also informed other pharmaceutical corporations in the country through mail,” Abitkar said.