343 FDC’s Should Be Prohibited: Health Ministry

Expert panel of the health ministry has recommended that 343 fixed drug combinations (FDCs) should be prohibited and the remaining six should be restricted or regulated, after reviewing 349 FDCs. Last year, the supreme court had directed the expert body of health ministry i.e. Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB), to review the safety, efficacy and therapeutic justification of these 349 FDCs.On this, DTAB had formed a sub-committee which explored the issue and submitted its recommendations now.

The expert sub-committee has stated in its report that “ for most FDCs, their use would lead to unnecessary overuse and the patients would be exposed to the risk of multiple ingredients when one would suffice ”. According to the panel, although 343 FDCs should be banned, but “ three FDCs should be restricted for specific indications or diseases ” and other “ three FDCs should be restricted to…