Be aware North-easterners, those who are used to buy over the counter drugs including painkillers, anti-diabetic, respiratory and gastro-intestinal medicines.
In an epoch decision the Union Ministry of Health on Wednesday banned the manufacture for sale or distribution of 328 fixed-dose combination (FDC) drugs with immediate effect.
Besides, it has also restricted the manufacture, sale or distribution of six FDCs subject to certain conditions, an official communiqué had stated.
Some of the major and most popular medicines banned include brands like Piramal’s Saridon, Alkem Laboratories’ Taxim AZ and Macleods Pharma’s Panderm Plus cream among others.
Sources in the Union Health Ministy said the ban would have its effect on around 6,000 medicine brands including painkillers, anti-diabetic, respiratory and gastro-intestinal medicines, belonging to different companies and with a combined market size of Rs 2,000-2,500 crore.
It may be recalled that the Union Health Ministry, through its notification published on March 10, 2016, had prohibited the manufacture for sale and distribution for human use of 349 FDCs under Section 26 A of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.
But the matter was contested by the affected manufacturing companies in various high courts and the Supreme Court.
Complying with the Supreme Court verdict in December last year, an expert panel formed by the Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB), in its report to the Centre, stated that there is no therapeutic justification for the ingredients contained in 328 FDCs and that these FDCs may involve risk to human beings, the statement stated.