Written by: mantasha
India’s Health Ministry recently dropped a major announcement: 156 fixed-dose combination (FDC) medicines, including popular antibiotics, painkillers, and multivitamins, are now officially banned.
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This was made public through a gazette notice on August 21, and these drugs are no longer allowed to be produced, marketed, or distributed. The reason? Health risks.
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FDC drugs are medicines that combine two or more active ingredients in a specific ratio. These are typically used to treat a variety of conditions. However, not all of these combinations are considered safe or possessing therapeutic justification. This means, some of these drugs may even not be necessary.
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An Expert Committee, appointed by the government, reviewed these FDCs and found them "irrational" – meaning they don’t provide any extra benefit and could pose health risks. The ban is based on these findings and aims to protect public health.
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Here are some of the well-known drug combinations that have been banned:
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-Aceclofenac 50mg + Paracetamol 125mg (a common painkiller) -Mefenamic Acid + Paracetamol Injection, ---Cetirizine HCl + Paracetamol + --- -Phenylephrine HCl, Paracetamol + Tramadol + Taurine + Caffeine
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This ban falls under Section 26A of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. This law gives the government the power to ban any drug that poses a risk to human health, especially if there are safer alternatives available.
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The goal of this ban is to protect you from harmful drugs while encouraging pharmaceutical companies to develop safer treatments.
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This strong move is a clear signal of the government's commitment to stricter regulations and better patient safety. With this ban in place, we can expect a future where healthcare in India is more reliable and, most importantly, safer.
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