In a significant move to protect public health, the Indian government has banned 156 fixed-dose combination (FDC) drugs, including various antibiotics, painkillers, multivitamins, and medications for treating fever and hypertension.
This decision represents the largest crackdown on FDCs since 2016, when 344 such drugs were banned. The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare issued a gazette notification on Thursday, officially prohibiting the manufacture, sale, and distribution of these FDCs.
The ban was enacted following the recommendations of an expert panel that reviewed a total of 324 FDCs.
Impact on Pharmaceutical Industry
The banned FDCs include popular combinations like mefenamic acid and paracetamol injections, commonly used for pain relief and fever, and omeprazole magnesium with dicyclomine HCl, used for abdominal pain.
This ban is expected to impact major pharmaceutical companies, including Sun Pharmaceuticals, Cipla, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, Torrent Pharmaceuticals, and Alkem Laboratories.
Source: Economic Times
