The Central government, a few days ago, banned 156 fixed dose combination drugs, or FDCs. An FDC is a drug that has more than one active ingredient – two or more drugs together, in a single pill, capsule or shot. This is the latest in a series of bans brought in by the Centre – last year 14 FDCs were banned, and a total of 499 have been banned since 2014. 

Why is this happening? Expert committees of the government have said these FDCs are irrational or have no therapeutic value for patients. In fact, FDCs are known to contribute to a growing public health problem in India – antimicrobial resistance So then why is the Indian market dominated by FDCs? Why are there FDCs in India that are not found anywhere else in the world? How are even unapproved and banned FDCs often found in the market?

Guest: S Srinivasan, co-convenor, All India Drug Action Network

Host: Zubeda Hamid

Edited by Jude Francis Weston