Which semaglutide batches were recalled in India in 2026, and how do you check yours?

What was recalled in July 2026?

Some batches of three generic semaglutide injections: Dr Reddy's Obeda, Torrent's Semalix pens and, according to industry sources, USV's Usema. It was not a ban on semaglutide.^4,6

Semaglutide is the medicine in Ozempic.¹⁹ After its patent ran out in March 2026, more than 50 generics approved by CDSCO, the national drug regulator, followed.⁶ Three of them had batches recalled in July.

From the companies' statements and named reports dated 9 to 22 July 2026. "Select batches" means some batches, not every pack of the brand. Checked 5 Oct 2026.

Obeda comes in 2 mg and 4 mg pre-filled, disposable pens, each giving at least 4 weekly doses.⁸ USV launched Usema in March 2026 "in collaboration with Dr. Reddy's Laboratories", also as 2 mg and 4 mg pens.⁷ No report we opened said who made the recalled Usema batches.

We found no 2026 recall of Novo Nordisk's Ozempic, Wegovy or Rybelsus in India, or of Lilly's Mounjaro.^13,17 Our post What changed for Ozempic when semaglutide's patent expired in India? covers the generics, and our brand list the makers.

What did each company say?

Dr Reddy's said some semaglutide batches failed a quality test because of the active ingredient. It said patient safety was not affected, and Torrent called its recall a precaution with no risk to patients.^1,5

Dr Reddy's. On 9 July 2026, it said "certain batches of semaglutide were found to be out of specification".¹ It blamed "an issue associated with the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API)", the medicine before it goes into the pen.¹ It said there was "no impact on patient safety" and that supplies would be delayed.¹

On a call that day, chief executive Erez Israeli said one impurity failed testing in the finished product.² He said the affected scale-up batches "never went to the market".² He added: "There was a recall of one batch in India. It has nothing to do with the issue we are discussing."²

Medical Dialogues, a medical news site, reported that Dr Reddy's "recalled select batches" of Obeda over the impurity.⁶

On 9 July, Israeli said supply could resume "late October, early November".² On 22 July, he said it had sold 180,000 pens before it stopped, and planned to restart "by November".³ He said there was "no risk to any patient who has consumed the product".³

Torrent. On 9 July 2026, Torrent began recalling select batches of Semalix pens. It acted on a recall notification from Dr Reddy's, which made them.⁴ The recall is limited to Semalix 2 mg and 4 mg pens.⁵ Torrent said the action was "purely as a precaution" and "there is no risk to patients currently undergoing treatment".⁵

Torrent said its Semalix and Sembolic tablets (3, 7 and 14 mg) were not affected. Nor were Semalix 8 mg injection, made by MSN Laboratories, and the Sembolic reusable pen, made by Zydus.⁵ It asked patients with questions to contact the company.⁵

USV. The only report we found said USV "has similarly recalled batches" of Usema, citing industry sources quoted by India Today.⁶ We found no USV statement, so treat it as reported, not confirmed.

Were the batch numbers published?

Not that we could find. No company statement or named Indian report we opened listed the recalled batch numbers. The only published lot numbers we found were for Canada.^1,4,5,6,9

An image of Dr Reddy's notice on X lists batches, unconfirmed by the company.²⁷

India's 2024 recall guidelines may explain why patients don't see them. They sort recalls into three classes by how much harm a faulty product could cause.¹¹ Only the most serious, Class I, must reach patients through newspapers, TV or radio.¹¹

A Class II recall goes back as far as pharmacies and hospitals, and a Class III recall only to wholesalers.¹¹ None of the statements we read said which class these recalls were. So your pharmacy may know about a recalled batch even if you haven't heard.

The Canadian lot numbers don't apply to Indian packs. In August 2026, Dr Reddy's Canada recalled 8 lots of its semaglutide injection. It said "an impurity is out of specification in all lots".⁹ Earlier that month, it recalled one Canadian lot because a 4 mg pen was labelled as 2 mg.¹⁰

Is any GLP-1 batch on CDSCO's failed-sample lists?

No. We searched every posted entry in CDSCO's failed-sample lists (January 2025 to August 2026) and fake-drug lists (June 2025 on). None was a GLP-1 medicine.¹³

How the lists work. Drug inspectors take random samples from the supply chain, and government labs test them.¹² A sample that fails is "not of standard quality" (NSQ). That label applies to the batch tested, not to other batches.¹⁵

A "spurious" medicine is a fake: made under another drug's name, or claiming a maker who didn't make it.¹³ CDSCO publishes both lists each month.¹⁵ When its own labs find an NSQ batch, the maker is asked to recall it at once.¹²

Since August 2025, the NSQ list sits on a searchable CDSCO page.¹⁴ Each entry gives the product, batch number, dates, maker and the test it failed.¹³

Our search of CDSCO's NSQ and spurious-drug portal on 5 Oct 2026, by medicine and brand name. August 2026 was the newest month posted; the September list was not up yet.

The August 2026 list had 220 failed samples: 29 from central labs and 191 from state labs.¹⁵ A clean list shows no tested sample failed, not that every batch was tested. For August 2026, the portal listed 20 states and union territories as pending.¹³

A 2025 theft alert, too. In August 2025, CDSCO warned that Novo Nordisk products were stolen in transit.¹⁶ They included Wegovy pens from batches RP5S232 (0.25 mg), RP5S233 (0.5 mg) and RP5S210 (1 mg).¹⁶ On 5 October 2026, that was still the only GLP-1 notice on CDSCO's alerts page.¹⁷ Our fake-pens post covers fakes.

How do you read the batch and expiry on your pen?

Indian rules require the label to show a batch number, after words such as "Batch No.", "B. No." or "Lot", plus the manufacturing and expiry dates.¹⁸

• Batch number. It links your pack to the records of the batch it came from.¹⁸ This is the number a recall names.¹¹
• Expiry date. It is given as a month and year. The medicine is recommended until the last day of that month.¹⁸
• Manufacturer. The label must name the maker and the address where it was made.¹⁸ Torrent says Dr Reddy's made its recalled 2 mg and 4 mg Semalix pens, so the maker's name helps.⁵
• Where to look. On Ozempic's US pen, the expiry (EXP) is on the back of the label.¹⁹ Check both pen and box.
• Name and strength. Novo Nordisk's US instructions say to check the name and coloured label on the pen before each injection.¹⁹ Check the strength matches your prescription too; in Canada, one lot held a 4 mg pen labelled 2 mg.¹⁰

Note the batch number, expiry and brand, and keep the bill for the pharmacy or company.

What should you do if your pen might be affected?

Note the batch number, then ask the pharmacy that sold it or the company whether it is recalled. Torrent invited patients' questions.^5,11

• Check the brand and strength. The reported recalls covered Obeda, Semalix 2 mg and 4 mg pens, and Usema.^5,6 An image of Dr Reddy's 8 July notice, posted on X, also names its Olymviq and Mashlo pens.²⁷ Whatever brand you use, ask the pharmacy.
• Ask the pharmacy. Recall notices go to distributors and retailers.¹¹ The pharmacy can check your batch against the notice it received.
• Don't change brand on your own. Brands come in different pen strengths, and your prescriber sets the dose.^5,8 More in Guide 6.

How do you report a problem?

Report a suspect pen to your state drugs controller or CDSCO, and side effects to PvPI, the government's drug-safety programme (1800-180-3024).^17,20,21

• Your state drugs controller. State licensing authorities control the sale of medicines.²⁶ CDSCO publishes each state office's address and email.²⁰ In a recall, the area drug inspector checks that it worked.¹¹
• CDSCO. Its alerts page lists [email protected] and a toll-free line, 1800 11 1454.¹⁷
• PvPI, for side effects. Patients can report directly, on the toll-free line or through the "ADR PvPI" app.²¹
• The company. Torrent invited questions about the recalled Semalix pens.⁵

If a pen looks fake rather than recalled, the steps are similar. A spurious medicine "may or may not contain the active ingredients", CDSCO says.²⁶

The "Already on it" path collects what to check if you're on a GLP-1 now. Our guide to when to call 112 on a GLP-1 lists every urgent sign.

Questions people ask

How we researched this

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