The manufacture for sale or distribution of 328 fixed-dose combination (FDC) drugs have been banned by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Wednesday with immediate effect due to health risk.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said that the order immediately bans the manufacture of several painkillers, skin cream, several common cough syrups, and cold and flu drugs. The banned medicines include brands like Piramal's Saridon, Alkem Laboratories' Taxim AZ and Macleods Pharma's Panderm Plus cream.  The Drug Technical Advisory Board or DTAB, India's drug advisory body, has said there is no therapeutic justification for the ingredients in these drugs and they must be banned in public interest.

The Board  mentioned that for the larger public interest it is necessary to prohibit the manufacture, sale or distribute these FDC's under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.

Around 6,000 medical brands with a combined market size of Rs 2000-2500 crore may soon vanish from the drug market of the country.

On March 10, 2016, the Health Ministry prohibited the manufacture for sale and distribution for human use of 349 FDCs through its notification under Section 26 A of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.

(Featured image: Maps of India)