The medical rationale behind fixed-dose combination drugs soon gave into commercial interests that cared little for the health of patients. Government's only response has been to keep issuing ban orders since 1983.
Study by researchers from UK, India & Qatar was published this month, suggests unapproved fixed-dose combination drugs should be withdrawn and no longer manufactured.
A total of 344 such medicines were banned in 2018, and another 156, used for common conditions such as fever, allergies, hypertension, colds etc, earlier this month.
Popular brands using combinations under the scanner include D Cold Total and Dolo Cold. The five FDCs are part of 344 drug combinations that the government had first banned in 2016.
These were a part of 344 fixed dose combinations prohibited for sale by Union Health Ministry in 2016 but the makers of 15 challenged the decision in Delhi High Court.
Commonly-sold cold and flu medicine such as Cheston Cold, ear drops Candibiotic and painkiller Etogesic among list, pharma industry wants those who prescribe FDC to judge efficacy.
Drug price regulator's decision comes amid increase in approvals to fixed dose combination medicines or drug cocktails that it says could pose health hazard.
The NPPA observations came this week as it took up applications to fix the prices of 34 new drugs, most of which were fixed-dose combination medicines or drug cocktails.
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