Drug makers body says govt's ban 'arbitrary and unfair'

The products worth Rs 5,000 crore have been banned for manufacture, distribution and sale with immediate effect causing hardship to manufacturers and patients.

Terming the decision to ban 344 fixed dose combination medicines as "arbitrary and unfair", pharma industry has said it feels let down by the government.

"The industry feels let down. We feel we were not given a fair chance. The government's order to ban 344 FDCs enblock is arbitrary and unfair," S V Veerramani, President, Indian drug manufacturers' association (IDMA) said.

The products worth Rs 5,000 crore (Rs 50 billion) have been banned for manufacture, distribution and sale with immediate effect causing hardship to manufacturers and patients, he added.

In a gazette notification on March 10, the government had banned 344 FDCs including ban on manufacture, sale and distribution of fixed does combination of chlopheniramine maleate plus codiene syrup which is used in the cough syrups.

When being asked what in his opinion is the way forward, Veeramani said: "We are meeting the government and will ask them to reconsider the ban. It will impact the Make in India campaign."

This is also not in the public interest as the patients will be denied useful FDCs, he added.

"The amount of time, money and environmental impact in destroying these procedures will be huge," Federation of Pharma Entrepreneurs (FOPE) Chairman R C Juneja said.

There was no proper discussion with the industry before the ban, he added.

Several companies have approached Delhi High Court, which has granted interim stay on the government decision.