Bengaluru: Physicians in the city criticised the central government for banning some 300 fixed-dose combination drugs, including cough syrup with Dr Shobha Rani R. Hiremath, Professor of Pharmacy Practice, Al-Ameen College of Pharmacy saying “Before banning these medicines, the health ministry should have conducted some survey or study.”
Dr Shankar Prasad, Medical Director, St Philomena’s Hospital, said, “The ban should not affect the people too adversely, as alternatives are available.” But Dr Hiremath said, “The issue is debatable. The health ministry should make these drugs prescription-based and stop over the counter sales.”
Don’t ban blindly, say doctors from Bengaluru
“My go-to drug is Vicks 500 and I can buy it over the counter. I haven't had any problem until now,” says 34-year-old Keshav working at an MNC in the city.
The Health Ministry, through a gazette notification, has banned over 300 fixed-dose combination drugs, including cough syrup compositions, saying they involve "risk" to humans and safer alternatives are available. The ban covers most of the popular cough and cold medicines –Vicks 500, Reckitt's D'Cold and Piramal's Saridon. The government has taken a decision to put the ban on hold till March 21.
“People rely on Vicks 500 and buy it as and when needed,” says a pharmacist at Sai Sidhdhanta Pharmacy on Wind Tunnel Road. “In Bengaluru, people keep falling sick with cough and cold. Banning these drugs will make them miserable,” he said.
Dr Shobha Rani R. Hiremath, Professor and Head of Department of Pharmacy Practice at Al-Ameen College of Pharmacy, which has been carrying out a study on spontaneous adverse drug reaction since 2001, said, “Before banning these drugs, the ministry should have conducted some survey or study. Such bans should always be evidence based.”
Her department has not received any communication from the Health Ministry. “I have been monitoring patients at both St Philomena’s and St Martha's Hospitals and none of the patients, who take these drugs, have reported any adverse reaction as well. Most of these medicines do not even induce drowsiness or any other ill-effects. But some cough and cold drugs are abused by some addicts. But banning Vicks is irrational,” she said.
The government has banned the manufacture and sale of more than 300 combination medicines, including two widely used cough syrups, as they are being sold without the government’s approval. The ban is aimed at stopping the misuse of such drugs.
Dr Shankar Prasad, Medical Director, St Phelomena's Hospital, said, “The ban should not affect the people too adversely, as alternatives are available for these medicines. The Health Ministry has banned only fixed combination drugs, but single drugs are available.”
On Monday, drug majors Pfizer and Abbott stopped sale of their popular cough syrups Corex and Phensedyl respectively, after the government passed the order.
“The issue is debatable. The health ministry can at least make these drugs prescription-based and stop their sale over the counter,” said Dr Shobha.
Top 10 banned drugs:
Corex - stay order from the court
Vicks Action 500
Phensedyl - stay order from the court
Sinarest
Tripride
Zimnic AZ brand
Cheston Cold
Euglim
Glizonem
Gliterais
Banned drugs to go to Africa, SAARC?
The 344 drugs that have been banned in India are likely to be diverted to African countries, or even SAARC countries expect Pakistan and Afghanistan, as the central government has not banned their exports.
Drug controllers say that they don't have a say in what the manufacturers do with the recalled drugs. While the makers of cough syrups Corex and Phensedyl have approached the court and got a stay order, the others are still contemplating legal action. The problem is that this time the government has listed each combination and banned them instead of issuing a bulk order. This means that each pharma company will have to separately go to court for each combination.
