Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI), a body of country's leading medical practitioners, is all set to launch a national campaign seeking a total ban on the use of phenylpropanolamine (PPA) in cough and cold preparations. PPA was placed under restricted use in drug preparations a few months ago by the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI). Use of PPA is already banned in the US following reports of large number of case of brain stroke in patients.
According to Dr R K Anand, head, paediatrics department, Jaslok Hospital, Mumbai, and author of several books on child healthcare, who is very active in the drug safety and anti-corruption activities as part of VHAI, said that since PPA has been already proved harmful for human use especially in children, it should not be allowed to market in the country.
"First of all, it is the medicine prescribed for cold, a disease which needs no drug at all. Moreover, when there are other effective and safe methods available for relief from cold related problems, why take this hazardous drug," he asks. The resistance from the regulatory authorities to come out with strong laws to curb sale of irrational and unsafe medicines from the market is only reflecting industry sponsored corruption in the administration, he added.
As for PPA, a recent study by Yale University, in USA, reported that if its dose exceeds 75 mg a day, which is the case when it is used in weight reduction drugs, there are proven chances of stroke. If these drugs are taken along with cold/cough preparations, which again contain PPA as an ingredient, the risk is higher. In the US, the drugs containing PPA has already been banned now after being shifted from OTC to prescription category for sometime.
Though, the DCGI had issued a directive to restrict the sales and consumption of PPA following a primary investigation on this, it does not make any difference, leading medical practitioners opined. "Restriction will not serve the purpose, it should be completely banned. The restriction exercise is again a gimmick to protect the manufacturers who involve in corruption at the cost of public life," Dr Anand quipped.
Early this year, Consumer Education and Research Centre (CERC), Ahmedabad, had also urged the Drug Controller General of India, Ashwini Kumar, to ban the use of PPA in cough and cold drugs as recent US studies have shown that it contributes to brain hemorrhage and stroke.
In India, there are over 50 cold drug brands having PPA as main ingredient available in the prescription as well as non-prescription category. The major PPA brands available in the market includes.
Actifed
Wellcome
Actifed Plus
Wellcome Actifed
Plus Paediatric Suspecious
Wellcome
Actifed DM
Wellcome
Alernyl DC
Sigma
Alex Paed Drops
Glenmark
Alex Syrup
Glenmark
Phenyh Calmcold
Pharmecia Upjohn
Chericof Sofgels
Ranbaxy
Chericof Syrup
Ranbaxy
Vicks Action 500
Procter &Gamble India
Coldact
Natco
Coldact TR
Natco
Coldgard
Karlin
Coldgon
Emil
Contac CC
Coricidin
Fulford
Corized P
Wander
Cosome
Merck
Cosy Cool
Ind Swift
Delcon Plus
Citadel
Deletus D
Nicholas Piramal
Deletus P
Nicholas Piramal
Dextil
Dolphin
Dolar
Lark
Ephydrex Plus
Megacare
Escold
Febrex Plus
Indoco
Flemnil
Reptakos
Flucold
Wallace
Fluzet Sofgels
Rexcel
Grilnctus Softcaps
Franco Indian
Oncet CF
Medley
Panthor Plus
Juggat
Retherma C
Pure Health
Rinoban
Aurobindo Pharma
Sinarest
Centaur
Sinarest Oral Drugs
Centaur
Sinarest AF
Centaur
Spicold
SPPL
Suprin
Watter Bushnel
Tixylix
Rhone Polenc
Tuspress
Indoco
Tusk D Liquid
Blue Cross
Tuxiril
Medley
Wincold
Wings Pharma
Wincold Syrup
Wings Pharma
Sunny 500
Sunny Drugs & Pharmaceuticals
Eurocold
Eurokem Laboratories
Alex Caps
Glenmark