The Union Health Ministry, in a notification issued on 2 June, banned 14 fixed-dose combination (FDC) medicines, citing lack therapeutic relevance.
In the gazette notification issued over the weekend, the Centre has banned combinations that include nimesulide and paracetamol dispersible tablets, and codeine-based cough syrups those drugs used for cough, fever and infections, among others.
“The FDC may involve risk to human beings. Hence, in the larger public interest, it is necessary to prohibit the manufacture, sale or distribution of this FDC under section 26A of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. In view of the above, any kind of regulation or restriction to allow for any use in patients is not justifiable”.Health Ministry Notification