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Banned drug combinations continue to be sold
Authorities are clueless on the guidelines to be followed in implementation of ban on some combination drugs. The interpretation on stay given by the Delhi High Court on the issue is according to one’s choice, as some are selling the same combination drugs and some have totally stopped vending them.
Nellore: Authorities are clueless on the guidelines to be followed in implementation of ban on some combination drugs. The interpretation on stay given by the Delhi High Court on the issue is according to one’s choice, as some are selling the same combination drugs and some have totally stopped vending them.
Consequently, consumers are in a state of confusion whether or not to continue the drug combination.Around 300 combination drugs were banned by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in March this year on fixed dose combination (FDC) medicines of some pharmaceutical companies.
The Ministry banned 344 fixed drug combinations through a gazette notification, including several common cough syrup solutions, analgesics and antibiotic combinations, many of which are sold over the counter. In fact, a question has been haunting even senior officials of the Drug Control Authority on whether stay orders of the Delhi High Court is applicable to the State or not.
Interestingly, the State authorities have also not provided any direction to the district-level authorities on whether to enforce the ban or to be liberal in playing a role of the spectator. Now, officials are doing the same act of observing legal battle in Delhi for a final decision.
“We have no clarity on the issue and have been following directions of the Delhi High Court where legal battle is going on between the Union government and the association of manufacturers. We initially enforced ban in the city and now are waiting for decision from the court,” said B Suresh Babu, assistant director of Drug Control Administration.
Recently, a company that produces Metformin 500+Glimperide 2 mg combination drug increased its price by 30 per cent all of a sudden against assurance made by the Union government in reducing prices of emergency drugs or medicines that have to be used lifelong by the patients.
There are many such drug companies which have increased prices. A boy who sells medicines over the counter at Vedayapalem area said they were having limited stocks of even banned combinations and there was pressure from the consumers for stocks.
By: P V Prasad
