Over 24,000 medicines are in Nepal’s market, only 648 tested last year
Summary
Despite over 24,000 medicines available in Nepal, only 648 were quality tested last year due to resource constraints, raising concerns over patient safety amid delays and substandard drugs.
Key Points
- Nepal's market has more than 24,000 types of medicines but only 648 were quality tested in 2025 due to limited resources.
- The National Medicine Laboratory faces budget, staffing, and technology shortages limiting timely testing and removal of substandard medicines.
- A third-generation antibiotic, Levoflox-500, was recalled after failing quality tests, but delays mean some substandard drugs may remain on shelves.
- DDA has around 20 inspectors for 25,000 pharmacies, hindering effective monitoring and recalls.
- Previously, USAID funded reference standards for testing, but after its shutdown, funding constraints worsened testing capacity.
