The Problem With India’s Sun and Aurobindo and Ranbaxy Pharma

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Executive Summary

  • Indian drugs are inexpensive, and this makes India a source that is interesting to many.
  • This article covers the problems of major Indian drug manufacturers.

Introduction

Indian pharmacies offer very good prices on drugs. However, there has been a long-term question regarding the reliability of the drugs from these pharmacies. This article investigates this topic by focusing on several Indian drug manufacturers.

The following comments are from the article How Reliable Are Your Generic Drugs From India?

Comments on Sun Pharma

I took generic adderal by Teva pharm and it worked well. Then, I was given the generic by Sun pharm made in India and I was NOT able to focus and was VERY restless. This is SO frustrating and crazy. I am a nurse and know this is not psychological…there is a quality control problem.

Here is a second and unrelated comment on Sun Pharma.

I have had these side effects from a med ( different than yours) that I had taken for 10 years. Got a generic I later found out was from Sun Pharma and was horrified to have irritability and anxiety as a side effect. Told Pharmacist about it.

And this third one.

My pharmacy switched to tramadol 50 mg from India sun pharma who bought coraco. It is useless. Just called the pharmacy who said the regular supplier was back ordered. Do not use generics from Sun Pharma.

And this one.

My script: 150mg Effexor XR 1 per day.

Taking effexor for around 5 years.

Most of the time, I was taking the generic Apotex Venlafaxine XR 150MG. As it’s slightly cheaper.

Have had no reaction to having generic in the past. Have used both Pfizer effexor XR and Apotex venlafaxine XR interchangeably with no issue. Often due to the chemist running of generic and swapped me to name brand.

Ranbaxy/Sun are the company that makes products for Apotex in Australia. They make generic Effexor, Venlafaxine XR.

This means that Sun Pharma’s drugs are being sold through Apotex, which provides many medicines in Australia. How many of these drugs are not what is printed on the label? What are Apotex’s quality controls on these drugs?

Refilled script 2.5 weeks ago, have been taking nightly with evening meal.

The past 2.5 weeks, I have had severe withdrawal system since refill, as if I’m missing my dose.

Headaches, throbbing pain.

Dizzy, swimming brain feeling

Anxiety symptoms

Racing heart rate and slightly increased blood pressure.

Saw Doctor, she advised to switch immediately to Effexor, saw chemist and made switch.

Thanks to Australian Medicare PBS the price difference is negligible. Approx $25 to $30 for 30days, for either generic or name brand.

Not all comments on Sun are negative, as the following quotes illustrate.

I purchased the drug from an online pharmacy in Canada, and it costs me $59.59/mo (I’ve taken it for three months now). It’s manufactured in India by Sun Pharma, the fifth largest generic pharmaceutical manufacturing company in the world.

However, it is concerning that Sun Pharma is the fifth largest generic manufacturer in the world.

Sun Pharma’s claims don’t appear to match some customer reviews.

Comments on Aurobindo Pharma

The zolpidem manufactured by Aurobindo Pharma in India is nothing like Ambien. This is sold by Walmart. Someone at the FDA should be looking at Aurobindo. These companies are making a fortune at the American publics expense. I wonder what actually is in this zolpidem, I would not be surprised if it was chalk or something worse! Walmart also bears responsibility and should have inspectors making sure the products are made correctly.