Rofecoxib brands of many pharma companies are still available pharmacy stores in Hyderabad. The pharmacists say that they were not dispensing them following the reports that the drug is going to be banned soon.

Most of the retail chemists said that the strips had been lying for more than a month with them and they are just waiting for the distributor to come and pick the stocks. During the last one month, there has been no prescriptions for the drug from doctors. The drug was prescribed for the relief of osteoarthritis, acute pain management and rheumatoid arthritis.

Ranbaxy's Rofibax, Torrent's Torrox, DRL's Mcrofy, Cipla's Roffix and Sun Pharma's Rofact were some of the top brands which had good sales in Hyderabad market before the DCGI decided to ban the drug. Few chemists said that although prescriptions of rofecoxib have come down drastically, doctors have started prescribing valdecoxib for pain management.

The sources at the AP Drugs Control Administration (APDCA) said, until there is an official notification issued by DCGI to ban the drug, the state drugs department cannot conduct raids on the stores possessing rofecoxib.