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