India's Pharmaceuticals industry has been reeling under the Health Ministry's gazette notification issued on March 12 banning 344 fixed dose drug combinations. Many of them popular brands of over the counter anti-pyretic (used to prevent or reduce fever) and anti-inflammatory drugs sold for years now. Experts appointed by the Health Ministry before coming to the decision that they impose a ban, pointed to the many side-effects of these drugs; elaborating on their fatality and lack of therapeutic justification for sale. Finally, the report of the expert committee appointed by the government that led to it imposing a ban.

Some of the items in the list of the FDC combinations that have a ban imposed on them inlcude:

Aceclofenac + Paracetamol + Rabeprazole

Nimesulide + Diclofenac
Nimesulide + Cetirizine + Caffeine
Nimesulide + Tizanidine
Paracetamol + Cetirizine + Caffeine
Diclofenac + Tramadol + Chlorzoxazone
Dicyclomine + Paracetamol + Domperidone
Nimesulide + Paracetamol dispersible tablets
Paracetamol + Phenylephrine + Caffeine
Diclofenac + Tramadol + Paracetamol
Diclofenac + Paracetamol + Chlorzoxazone + Famotidine
Naproxen + Paracetamol
Nimesulide + Serratiopeptidase
Paracetamol + Diclofenac + Famotidine
Nimesulide + Pitofenone + Fenpiverinium + Benzyl Alcohol
Omeprazole + Paracetamol + Diclofenac
Nimesulide + Paracetamol injection

The fight between the pharma companies and the government continues and March 28 when the High Court bench takes up the FDC matter, many of these might meet their fate.