The Union health ministry has banned more than 150 combination medicines, also known as fixed-dose combination (FDC) drugs. Many of these medicines are easily available at medical stores, but their intake may cause potential harm and contribute to antimicrobial resistance. Speaking about FDC medicines, Dr Chandrika Reddy of the pharmacology department at Osmania Hospital said, "FDC drugs consist of a fixed ratio combination of two or more medicines in a single dosage.
For example, paracetamol and tramadol (both painkillers) with caffeine added to it. Many such medicines are available in the market, and they can cause potential harm to patients." "Some medical practitioners prescribe these drugs, hoping that certain combinations will help the patient and reduce the number of medicines they have to take.
While some drugs work well together and their synergy enhances each other's action, not all combinations are beneficial," she added, noting that taking these FDCs can also lead to opioid abuse. Most of the FDC drugs banned by the government are easily available over the counter (OTC). "Recently, I saw a patient who took a painkiller bought from a pharmaceutical shop and ended up developing skin ulcers.
These side effects are seen regularly among patients. There are also ointments available as FDCs; for example, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and steroid components can be found in one ointment," Dr Reddy said. This is not the first time the government has banned these drugs.
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