India finds string of deficiencies among drugmakers after risk tests

India has found multiple deficiencies among drugmakers following wide-ranging inspections across the industry, including a lack of raw materials testing, the health ministry said on Wednesday.

Indian authorities have stepped up scrutiny of drugmakers in recent months after some cough syrups made in the country were linked to the deaths of at least 95 children overseas.

Recent risk-based inspections of 162 factories and 14 public laboratories found issues including "poor documentation, lack of process and analytical validations, absence of self-assessment, absence of quality failure investigation, (and) absence of internal product quality review", it said in a statement.

It also flagged an absence of raw materials testing, a lack of measures to avoid cross-contamination, an absence of professionally qualified employees, and faulty design of manufacturing and testing areas.

India's $41 billion pharmaceutical industry is one of the biggest globally, known for providing cheaper alternatives to western products, but the recent cough syrup-related deaths have hurt that image.

India has tightened its testing of cough syrup exports since June, making it mandatory for companies to obtain a certificate of analysis from a government laboratory before exporting products.