nimesulide, Cisapride, Phenylpropanolamine Banned

A CLEAR WARNING TO ALL THOSE IN THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY, CONSUMERS AND PHARMACEUTICALS, DOCTORS, CONSUMERS, DISTRIBUTORS, SUB-DISTRIBUTORS, CHEMISTS AND DRUGGISTS, LAST BUT NOT THE LEAST THE VULNERABLE SECTIONS OF THE GROUP... THE CONSUMERS. THE PATIENTS.

BE AWARE:
MEDINDIA.NET REPORTS AS UNDER: 
After several years of debate regarding the safety of nimesulide, cisapride and phenylpropanolamine (PPA) the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) Dr. Surinder Singh has finally decided to ban these three unsafe drugs. Since the adverse effects of these drugs outweigh the benefits the Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) that had been examining the safety of the three drugs for several years has now recommended their withdrawal from the market.
(please click at the title to read more or cut and past the following URL )

Read more: Unsafe Drugs- nimesulide, Cisapride, Phenylpropanolamine Banned 

http://www.medindia.net/news/Unsafe-Drugs-Banned-79989-1.htm#ixzz1F7Xie93J

BUT WHAT IS MORE WORRYING IS THAT THE DRUGS ARE COMBINED WITH OTHER DRUGS TO APPEAR AS IF THEY ARE MORE EFFECTIVE, QUICK TO ACT, SUSTAINING ALSO.  THE SAD FACT REMAINS THAT A SIGNIFICANT PERCENTAGE OF DOCTORS ARE INFLUENCED UNDULY and also BELIEVE IN WHAT THE MEDICAL REP SAYS OR SHOWS.

COMBINATIONS OF A FEW OF THE DRUGS IS MORE DANGEROUS.

THOUGH THE INDIVIDUAL DRUGS AIM AT THE SAME RESULT, THEIR WAYS OF WORKING IN THE PHYSIOLOGY OF  HUMAN BODY ARE DIFFERENT. FOR INSTANCE,
NIMUSULIDE AND PARACETAMOL. ( THEIR METABOLISM IS DIFFERENT)
CISAPRIDE WITH ANTACIDS.
ANTI HYSTAMINE LIKE CETRIZINE WITH CHLOROPIRAMINE MALEATE.

MOST OF THE DRUGS THAT ARE PRESENTLY BANNED IN INDIA, ARE BANNED IN UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO.

FURTHER, THERE IS EFFECTIVE SUPERVISION, MONITORING AND SURVEILLANCE ON OVER THE COUNTER DRUGS.  PITIABLY, IN INDIA THERE EXISTS NONE.

I REPEATED VOICE CONCERN AT THE OVER GROWING NUMBER OF PATIENTS RELYING ON THE ADVICES OF THE QUACKS DROPS OUT OF SCHOOLS ACTING AS DOCTORS IN MOST OF THE CHEMISTS/DRUGGISTS SHOPS'


A FEW DAYS AGO, IN A NEIGHBOURHOOD MEDICAL SHOP, A MIDDLE AGED PERSON CAME AND ASKED FOR A COUGH SYRUP WHICH COULD CONTROL PHLEGM.  THE SALESMAN GAVE ONE.  IT WAS AN EXPECTORANT.  THE VISITOR THEN SAID THAT THE CONSUMER, HIS FATHER, IS AN OLD MAN, AND AS HIS FAMILY IS GOING FOR A VACATION AND LEAVING HIS FATHER ALONE FOR THE NEXT DAYS, HE WANTS SOME MEDICINE TO CONTROL HIS PHLEGM AND INTERMITTENT COUGH EFFECTIVELY.

I WAS CLOSELY OBSERVING WHAT THE SALESMAN GAVE.

HE GAVE FOUR CAPSULES OF CIPROFLAXACIN OF 500 MG STRENGTH,, THREE TABLETS OF HYDROCORTISONE OF .5 MG STRENGH .

I ASKED THE SALESMAN WHETHER IT WAS PROPER TO GIVE ANTI BIOTICS AND STEROIDS OVER THE COUNTER WITHOUT HAVING A LOOK AT THE PATIENTS' CONDITION ?

Both the visitor as well as the consumer looked at me as a joker in a circus, sarcastically. At best, they showed me the door politely as I happened to be a very very old man of the locality. I could not help hide my anguish and pity at the poor awareness levels of the consumers, even if they are educated ones.

SEVERAL TIMES, STANDING IN THE CORRIDORS OF THE SHOPS, I HAD BEEN PLEADING TO THE GULLIBLE CONSUMERS TO TAKE ADVICE FROM QUALIFIED DOCTORS, BUT THE PEOPLE BY AND LARGE PREFER SAYING THAT THE SALESMEN do HAVE  such RICH EXPERIENCE WHICH EVEN THE junior DOCTORS at the 24 hour clinics ( MOST TIMES JUST PASSED OUT FROM COLLEGES) HAVE, AND THEY ( the patients) DO NOT HAVE THE TIME OR ENERGY TO SPEND AT THE DOCTORS' OFFICE, not to talk of the consultation fees they are charged.  It is anywhere between Rs.150 to Rs.400 nowadays. 

WHERE IS OUR MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM? 


I HAVE A GRIEVANCE NOT WITH INDIVIDUALS BUT WITH THE SYSTEM AS A WHOLE.

PEOPLE LIVE TODAY AND SURVIVE DESPITE ILLNESSES NOT BECAUSE OF ADVANCEMENT IN MEDICAL SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY BUT POSSIBLY BY THE WILL OF GOD.