Indian Medical Association informs doctors, pharmacists on drugs

Hyderabad: The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has sent mails to all doctors and hospitals asking them to stop prescribing the banned combination drugs.

Even pharmacists have kept the stocks aside as they say that the stocks have been “locked” in their computers by the manufacturers unit.

But the actual process of recalling the drugs has still not started. Andhra Pradesh Chemists Association president Mr R. Gupta said, “The effect in the retail market will be visible only after two weeks when patients will come asking for their brand of medicines. This is not being seen now as patients usually buy in bulk, which will last them for a month or even three months. As far as cough syrups are concerned, due to regulations, the sale has reduced from 10 bottles per day to only two bottles per day.”

Manufacturers have stopped production and have asked wholesalers not to supply the existing stocks to the retail market.

A senior pharma officer said, “We are going to wait now before calling for an ‘actual recall’ from the market. There are two cases in court and their verdict is going to decide the future course of action.”

But insiders state that once patients start reacting and ask for the drugs they are used to, these banned products will find their way into the grey market.

A senior drug official said, “Presently, as there is strict surveillance, all of them are lying low. But once the drug enforcement is back at its routine level, these drugs are going to find their way back via the grey market. The existing stocks will be dumped in peripheries and two-tier towns and villages.”