Concerned over the lack of clarity among the healthcare professionals over the rationale behind the blanket ban on anti diabetic drug Pioglitazone, physicians across the country wants the government to seriously reconsider its decision to ban Pioglitazone.

Doctors suggested that government, in the interest of over 35 lakhs of patients, should think about revoking the ban while bringing some restrictions in its use. They equivocally stressed that banning this drug from the market was not a viable solution as the fate of this drug can effect life of many diabetes patients within the country.

Dr Vijay Panikar, senior diabetologist and member of Association of physicians of India (API) pointed out that though the government has taken this decision in good faith, it was certainly taken in haste and not in the interest of the patients at large. “We seriously feel that the blanket ban on this drug was uncalled for, what the government could have done was issue a warning and impose some restrictions on the prescription of this drug. Most importantly it must be understood that Pioglitazone is one of the only drug currently available in the market that can effectively help in addressing the insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes patients, thus banning it can put the existing patients administering the drug under lot of alternative medication.”

Pioglitazone has been in the market from last 15 years, since its launch in 2000 by its originator Takeda Pharmaceuticals. Since then it has acted as one of the greatest insulin sensitizer for type 2 diabetic patients and is one among the seven group drugs that are available for treating diabetes. The government is believed to have banned this drug considering the risk factor involving the use of Pioglitazone on some patients with indication of heart aliments, kidney disease, cancer, osteoporosis etc.

However, Dr Shah past president of API, stressed that owing to the risks associated with the use of this drug on selected patients, necessary steps are always taken by the practitioners to prescribe this drug only to those patients who do not have any of these underlying conditions. “The government should re-think its stand on banning it considering the important role it plays in controlling diabetes of the patients who have no contra indications to it. Weighing the risk benefit ratio, this drug plays a very important role in diabetic control on patients and thus should not be completely taken out of the market. Moreover, the government should understand that the doctors will never administer this drug to patients who may have reaction to it, since we prescribe this drug only after taking into account the patients indications.”

It is understood that taking this product off the market will have a huge impact on the patients wallet, as a single tablet of Pioglitazone costs around Rs.4 to 5 only, compared to other available options which are far more costlier, priced at Rs.40 per tablet.

According to Dr Rajiv Kovil, consultant diabetologist, Dr Kovils diabetes care centres, if Pioglitazone is judiciously used it can play a huge role in helping the diabetic patients. Moreover, he stressed that there isn't any drug available in the market today, that do not have some or other reaction to it, thus the decision taken by the government is unjust towards those lakhs of patients who have a chance for better life through Pioglitazone. “Judicious use of these drugs can certainly prevent any undue incidences in patients, if preventing cancer is the main issue as claimed by the government, then it should first ban tobacco from the country than such affordable life saving drugs.”

He further pointed out that though it will be difficult to predict the rise in the cost of the medication, at this time, it will largely depend on what phase the patient was on Pioglitazone while discontinuing the same. However, Kovil informed that with this ban the cost of the medication is will certainly go up by three to four times from the present one.

Doctors fear that with this drug taken out of the market, patients will have no other option but to depend on insulin injections or other costlier anti-diabetic drugs. Dr  Shah feels that the government should have taken this decision after proper consultation with the medical fraternity and thorough patient centric study rather than just frame their decision on studies conducted abroad or decisions taken by other countries banning this drug.