The Union health ministry, which had recently revoked the ban on anti-diabetic drug pioglitazone on public demand, will not lift the ban on pain-killer drug analgin as the ministry is learnt to have come to the conclusion that the ban on anlagin is based on valid reasons.

According to health ministry sources, even though there were reservations among experts on the ban on analgin enforced by the government without sufficient grounds, the ministry has taken a final decision not to lift the ban on analgin as the drug is banned in several countries including the developed countries. As per the precedent followed by the union health ministry, whenever a drug is banned due to adverse drug reactions in countries with well developed and efficient regulatory system like USA, UK, EU, Australia, Japan and Canada, the manufacture, import and marketing of such drugs would be immediately put under suspension till the safety of the drug is examined and established in the country, sources said.

Besides, the Parliamentary panel attached with the ministry of health had also time and again wanted the government to ban the drug analgin in India for patient safety.

Earlier on June 18, the union health ministry had banned the popular pain-killer drug analgin, along with two other drugs - anti-diabetes drug pioglitazone and anti-depressant deanxit---on the grounds of patient safety as the ministry was of the view that the use of analgin and all formulations containing analgin was likely to involve risk to human beings and also safer alternatives to the drug were available in the market.

Ever since, there has been a hue and cry against the ban on pioglitazone and analgin as there was a feeling that the ban was not based on proper scientific data.

The Drugs and Technical Advisory Board (DTAB), the highest decision-making body in the union health ministry on technical matters, in its meeting held on July 19 reviewed the ban on pioglitazone and analgin. After detailed discussions on the matter, the DTAB recommended to the government to lift the ban on pioglitazone and left the issue of analgin to the health ministry to take a final call.