Which 16 FDC medicines have been banned by the Central Government? understand the real danger

The central government has immediately banned the manufacture, sale and distribution of 16 fixed dose combination (FDC) medicines on the advice of health experts. In these medicines, two or more medicines are made by mixing them together. The government says that these medicines do not provide any medical benefit but their use can cause problems.

The Health Ministry has issued these notifications under Section 26A of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. This decision has been taken on the instructions of the Supreme Court after the recommendations of the expert committee. The Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) reviewed these drugs and found them unnecessary and inappropriate.

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What kind of medicines are banned?

Banned medicines include painkillers, muscle relaxers, antibiotics and some skin medicines. Medicines containing acetylsalicylic acid along with ethoheptazine, dicyclomine, paracetamol and clidinium bromide have been banned.

Antibiotic combinations of chromium picolinate with gliclazide and serratiopeptidase with amoxicillin are prohibited. Many preparations made by mixing aloe vera with vitamin E, jojoba oil, tea tree oil etc. in skin creams have also been banned.

Also read: Medicines worth crores taken out in the name of dead patients, big scam in KGMU

Why has the government taken this step?

The government says that this step has been taken to promote rational use of medicines and to provide only effective and safe medicines to the people. All state drug controllers have been instructed to strictly implement this ban.

Companies have also been asked to immediately remove these medicines from the market. This action is part of the ban imposed on several inappropriate FDC drugs over the past few years. Now these medicines will disappear from the market.