Second Rajasthan Drug Fails Quality Test: Vitamin D3 Missing from Coral Calcium Tablets
In a concerning development for pharmaceutical oversight in Rajasthan, a second medicine has failed quality testing this month. Laboratory analysis has revealed that Coral Calcium and Vitamin D3 Tablets (QcCal 500 TM) contain no Vitamin D3 whatsoever, despite this being listed as a primary active ingredient on the product label.
Details of the Failed Batch and Manufacturer
The failed sample was identified as Batch No. MLS-251719, manufactured in February 2026 with an expiration date of January 2028. The tablets were produced by Maskon Life Sciences Pvt Ltd, located in Bhagwanpur, Roorkee. The complete absence of Vitamin D3 in the tested dosage has triggered alarm among health officials regarding drug quality control and manufacturing standards within the state's pharmaceutical supply chain.
Official Declaration and Health Implications
A senior health department official confirmed the findings, stating, "The Govt Analyst at the Drug Testing Laboratory in Jaipur has issued the test reports and officially declared the drug QcCal 500 TM as seriously substandard because it did not contain the active ingredient of Vitamin D3." This medicine is commonly prescribed to patients suffering from calcium and Vitamin D3 deficiencies, with Vitamin D3 playing a critical role in calcium absorption and the maintenance of bone health.
Investigation and Regulatory Response
In response to this serious lapse, Rajasthan health authorities have alerted their counterparts in Roorkee to initiate a thorough investigation into the manufacturing processes at Maskon Life Sciences. The objective is to determine how such a fundamental ingredient could be entirely missing from a batch of tablets intended for therapeutic use.
Previous Quality Failure in Separate Case
This incident follows another recent drug quality failure in the state. In a separate case, a sample of QCE POD 200 mg, a third-generation antibiotic, also failed quality tests after laboratory analysis found it lacked its active ingredient, Cefpodoxime Proxetil. That drug is manufactured by a firm based in Baddi, Himachal Pradesh, indicating that quality control issues may extend beyond state borders.
The consecutive failures of these two medicines have intensified scrutiny on pharmaceutical manufacturing practices and regulatory enforcement, raising urgent questions about patient safety and the integrity of the drug supply chain in Rajasthan and neighboring regions.
