Bhubaneswar, November 2: A total of 168 spurious drugs were detected and seized and 388 Non-Standard Quality (NSQ) drugs were detected in the last four years in the State.

This information was given by Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Mukesh Mahaling in a written in the State Assembly in response to a query of senior BJD MLA Ranendra Pratap Swain during the ongoing Winter Session of the Assembly.

The Minister further informed the House that a total of 388 Non-Standard Quality (NSQ) drugs were detected in the last four years. These NSQ drugs failed to meet the required quality, safety, and efficacy standards.

While 83 NSQ drugs were detected in 2021-22, 156 such drugs were detected in 2022-23 followed by detection of 69 and 80 NSQ drugs in 2023-24 and 2024-25, respectively. Similarly, 79 spurious drugs were detected and seized in 2021-22 followed by 64 in 2022-23, 14 in 2023-24 and 11 in 2024-25.

Notably, the Winter Session of the Odisha Legislative Asssembly that started with President Droupadi Murmu’s address to the House on November 27, will conduct business till December 31. Meanwhile, the first supplementary budget for the current financial year was tabled in the House on November 28.