AIIMS recalled disposable syringes over quality complaints; no patient harm reported: Health Ministry

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, recalled certain batches of disposable syringes earlier this year as a precautionary measure after receiving quality-related complaints from user departments, the Union Health Ministry informed Parliament on Wednesday (August 5, 2026).

In a written reply to a question by MP Haris Beeran in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Health Prataprao Jadhav said the affected batches had been manufactured by Noble Pharmacare Ltd. and Veekay Surgicals. The recall, he said, was undertaken as a patient-safety measure following complaints regarding the quality of the syringes.

The Ministry, however, said no adverse effects on patients had been reported due to the affected batches.

The ministry stated that action has been initiated against both manufacturers. Show-cause notices have been issued to the firms, and the entire stock of the affected batches has been replaced with fresh supplies, the Minister said.

The disclosure came in response to questions on whether the government had taken note of reports regarding the recall of disposable syringes at AIIMS, the manufacturers involved, reasons for the recall, and steps taken thereafter.

The Ministry said AIIMS follows stringent procurement and quality inspection protocols for disposable medical devices, including random sampling and verification during supply. An inspection committee compares supplies received with the samples submitted during the bidding process and rejects any batch that does not conform to approved specifications.

The government said AIIMS has established a dedicated Patient Safety and Quality Cell to conduct root-cause analyses of such incidents and recommend corrective measures to prevent recurrence.

The Ministry did not specify the nature of the quality defects that prompted the recall or the number of syringe batches withdrawn.