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Banned medicines in India

Which drugs and combinations are banned, which batches failed a lab test, and which "banned" stories are just rumours. Every answer links to the CDSCO order, gazette notice or court ruling behind it.

People ask about:Dolo 650NimesulideColdrifTelma AM
A pharmacist reaching for medicines on tall wooden shelves in Varanasi

Numbers

683
bans in force (1,080 entries in all)
6,406
batches that failed a lab test
47
suspected fake batches
239
batches in the Jul 2026 alert

Is it banned? The medicines people ask about

76 entries, each linked to the order it comes from.

Banned
Nimesulide: Banned above 100 mg (oral)

Is Nimesulide banned in India?

Oral nimesulide above 100 mg has been banned for adults in India since 29 Dec 2025; 100 mg tablets and topical gels remain legal, and use in children under 12 has been banned since 2011.

  • Status: Banned above 100 mg (oral)
  • Who decided: CDSCO / Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
  • Latest step: 29 Dec 2025: Section 26A notification: oral nimesulide above 100 mg banned for adults
  • Reference: S.O. 6091(E), 29 Dec 2025 (Section 26A)
  • What to do: Check the strength on the strip
Read the full entry
Stayed
Saridon: SC interim relief · on sale

Is Saridon banned in India?

Saridon is legally on sale in India as of 19 Sep 2026: the 7 Sep 2018 ban (S.O. 4689(E)) was put on hold by Supreme Court interim relief in February 2019 and the matter remains sub judice.

  • Status: SC interim relief · on sale
  • Who decided: CDSCO / Ministry of Health and Family Welfare; Supreme Court of India
  • Latest step: 21 Feb 2019: Supreme Court interim relief reported; Saridon back on shelves
  • Reference: S.O. 4689(E), 7 Sep 2018; Supreme Court interim order, Feb 2019 (exact date:, being verified
  • What to do: Nothing changes at the counter
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Not banned
Meftal-Spas: Not banned

Is Meftal-Spas banned in India?

Meftal-Spas is not banned in India as of 19 Sep 2026; no notification names mefenamic acid + dicyclomine, and the April 2025 CDSCO halt covered a different drotaverine + mefenamic acid + paracetamol combination.

  • Status: Not banned
  • Who decided: CDSCO / Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
  • Latest step: 11 Apr 2025: CDSCO halts 35 unapproved FDCs; Meftal-Spas not among them
  • Reference: No Section 26A notification for mefenamic acid + dicyclomine
  • What to do: You can keep using it as prescribed
Read the full entry
Not banned
Dolo 650: Not banned

Is Dolo 650 banned in India?

Dolo 650 is not banned in India as of 19 Sep 2026; no Section 26A notification covers paracetamol tablets, and the brand remains licensed to Micro Labs.

  • Status: Not banned
  • Who decided: CDSCO / Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
  • Latest step: 2 Aug 2024: 156-FDC ban includes paracetamol combinations, not paracetamol alone
  • Reference: No Section 26A notification for paracetamol
  • What to do: Keep using it as directed
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Banned

Is Corex banned in India?

CPM + codeine formula banned (2023)

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Banned

Is Phensedyl banned in India?

CPM + codeine formula banned (2023)

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Not banned

Is Ranitidine banned in India?

Not banned · under DTAB review

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Not banned

Is Zerodol-P banned in India?

Not banned · paediatric strength banned

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Under examination

Is Vicks Action 500 banned in India?

On sale · pre-1988 FDC under review

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Not banned

Is Telma-AM banned in India?

Not banned · spurious batches reported

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Not banned

Is Pan-D banned in India?

Not banned · spurious batches reported

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Not banned

Is Combiflam banned in India?

Not banned · old NSQ batches (2016 to 2017)

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Cleared

Is Analgin banned in India?

Ban revoked

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Quashed

Is Deanxit banned in India?

Ban set aside by HC · sub judice

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Cleared

Is Pioglitazone banned in India?

Ban revoked

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Not banned

Is Crocin banned in India?

Not banned

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Show all 76 medicines
AcilocAllegraAlprazolamAmoxicillin + SerratiopeptidaseAnalginAscorilAugmentinAvilAzithral 500BenadrylCalpolCefiximeCetirizineCheston ColdChymoral ForteClavam 625ColdactCombiflamCorexCorex DXCrocinCyclopamD'Cold TotalDartDeanxitDextromethorphanDiclofenacDigeneDisprinDolo 650DomperidoneDrotinEnoGatifloxacinGliclazide + Chromium picolinatei-PillLevocetLiv-52LoperamideMeftalMeftal-SpasMetforminMontair-LCNeurobionNimesulide + ParacetamolNimesulideOfloxacin + OrnidazoleOmezOxytocinPan-DPantopPhenerganPhensedylPioglitazonePiritonRanitidineRantacSaridonSerratiopeptidaseShelcal 500SinarestSolvin ColdSpasmo-ProxyvonT-MinicTelma 40TelmaTelma-AMTelma-HTramadolVicks Action 500Vicks VapoRubWikorylZerodol-PZerodol-SPZincovitZinetac

Browse the record

The banned drugs list

1,080 notifications since 1983, with gazette numbers, court stays and a CSV download.

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Check a batch number

Match the batch on your strip against every failed batch on record. Free, no login.

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Monthly lab alerts

Every CDSCO "not of standard quality" alert since Jan 2019, by product, maker and lab.

See the alerts

Fake medicines

What "spurious" means in law and every batch CDSCO has flagged as a suspected fake.

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WHO alerts about Indian makers

Global alerts that name Indian manufacturers, 2022 to 2026, and what happened at home.

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Cough syrup cases

Coldrif, Sresan, Marion Biotech and Maiden: the timelines, the orders and where each case stands now.

Read the cases

By type of medicine

Painkillers & NSAIDsCough, cold & allergyAntibiotics & anti-infectivesDiabetesDigestive & antispasmodicHeart & blood pressureSkin & hairEye & earVitamins & supplementsOther

Latest lab alert: July 2026

40 batches failed at central labs and 199 at state labs. First rows below.

Full Jul 2026 table
Product Batch Manufacturer Reason declared NSQ Tested by
ketoconazole, Chloridexidine Glueconate & Cetrinide Shampoo L047D25Mfg 2025-04 · Exp 2027-03 Disinfecto Chemical Industrial Pvt. Ltd. D-7Uttar Pradesh Assay for chlorhexidine Gluconate onlyAssay RDTL. Bellary KarnatakaState lab
ZEDCORIL EXPECTORANT 0064Mfg 2026-04 · Exp 2029-03 Lexine Technochem Pvt. LtdGujarat Content of SalbutamolOther FDL, VadodaraState lab
Vitamin A, Vitamin D3, Vitamin B1 and Niacinamide Tablets CBT-0178Mfg 2025-09 · Exp 2027-02 Crossasia Biotech Pvt. Ltd The sample does not conform to Manufacturer's specification with respect to Assay of Vitamin A (Acetate) and Vitamin B1Assay CDL, KolkataCDSCO lab
Triprolidine Hydrochloride & Codeine Phosphate Syrup, 100 ml L-221226Mfg 2025-11 · Exp 2027-10 BDC Pharmaceuticals 272 Content of Triprolidine Hydrochloride & Codeine PhosphateOther Lucknow LabState lab
Triamcinolone Acetonide Injection IP (40mg/ml) (1ml) NPK0260Mfg 2024-12 · Exp 2027-11 Nitin Life Sciences Ltd. Rampur RoadHimachal Pradesh AssayAssay Lucknow LabState lab
Tranexamic Acid Injection IP TRI2502Mfg 2026-02 · Exp 2028-01 Blitz Pharmaceuticals Pvt. Ltd The sample does not conform to I.P. with respect to test for Particulate matter and is also not of standard quality for the reason stated under DescriptionDescription CDL, KolkataCDSCO lab

Makers with the most failed batches

All records
ManufacturerStateFailed batchesLatest
Jackson Laboratories Pvt. LtdPunjab78Jul 2026
Unicure (India) LtdUttarakhand73Jun 2026
Apple Formulations Pvt. LtdUttarakhand37Jul 2026
Life Max Cancer LaboratoriesUttarakhand35Feb 2026
Martin & Brown Bio-Sciences Pvt. LtdHimachal Pradesh34Jul 2026
Zee Laboratories LtdHimachal Pradesh34Jun 2026
Vivek Pharmachem (India) LtdRajasthan33Jul 2026
Hindustan Antibiotics LtdHaryana32Jun 2026

Plain-language guides

What "not of standard quality" means

How a drug gets banned in India

How to check a medicine is genuine

Cough syrup deaths, 2022 to 2025

Alert archive

2026
Jan218Feb217Mar190Apr121May162Jun193Jul239
2025
Jan145Feb103Mar131Apr196May188Jun184Jul143Aug94Sep112Oct211Nov216Dec175
2024
Jan46Feb58Mar59Apr55May52Jun61Jul70Aug64Sep71Oct93Nov113Dec135

All years