Acting tough, the Andhra Pradesh Drugs Control Administration (APDCA) has ordered the medical shops in the state to stop the sale of Nimesulide and five other drugs, which were recently banned by Drug Controller General of India (DCGI).

The drugs, which were recently banned by the DCGI with immediate effect, include Nimesulide formulations, cisapride and its formulations, phenylpropalamine and its formulations, human placentral extract and its formulations, sibutramine and its formulations and R-sibutramine and its formulations. Nimesulide is banned for human use in children below the age of 12 years, while others are banned for human use.

R P Meena, director general of Drugs and Copyrights, Drugs Control Administration, Government of Andhra Pradesh, told, Pharmabiz, “We have asked the medical shops in the state to stop the sale of six drugs and their formulations banned by DCGI recently and return them to the stockists and inform the drug inspectors. We have already sent nearly 20000 SMS to retailers and wholesale dealers in the state asking them to stop the sale of these drugs and requesting them to inform other medical shops. We have also contacted various chemists associations in the state to ask their members stop the sale of these drugs.” He, however, added that the administration is still in the process of informing the remaining medical shops.

The Drugs Control Administration has issued instructions to all the drugs inspectors and assistant directors in the state to ensure the recall and take necessary action regarding all the banned drugs and its formulations in the market. Meena added that there are more than 250 formulations of these drugs in the market. He said that there is no logic in giving time to the companies as these drugs are banned with immediate effect.

Nise syrup and dispersible tablets by Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, Embuliod Plus Suspension by Piramal Healthcare, Nicip Kid tablets and syrup by Cipla and Nimutal Suspension by Elder Pharmaceuticals are some of the nimesulide formulations. Nimesulide formulations are used as analgesic, anti-pyretic and anti-inflamatory.

Cisapride formulations, which are used as anti-Riflux drugs, include brands such as Ciza tablets and suspension by Intas Pharmaceuticals and Cisakem tablets by Alkem Laboratories.

The phenylpropalamine formulations, used anti-cold and decongestant, include brands such as Cheston cold tablets/suspension, Alerid-D and Okacet Cold by Cipla, Alkem Plus tablets/suspension by Alkem Laboratories, cerzin cold tab by Ranbaxy, Cetico Cold by Plethico, Central Cold by Alembic, Cof Q tab, Cof-Vym tab, Cofdex-P syrup and Cof Q-D syrup by Cipla and Cold Act Cap by Sun.

The sibutramine brands include Leptos capsules by Abbot, Obesave capsules by Eris Life Sciences, and Reduce capsules by Ordain Health Care and sibutramine capsules by Glenmark.