Drug majors Pfizer and Abbott have stopped sale of their cough syrups Corex and Phensedyl respectively, after the government banned over 300 fixed dose combinations (FDCs) drugs.
Pfizer on Monday said it has stopped the sale of its Corex cough syrup that garnered sales of Rs 176 crore in the nine-month period ended December 31, and said the government’s move will have an adverse impact on it.
“The company is exploring all available options at its disposal... The prohibition is likely to have an adverse impact on the revenue and profitability of the company,” Pfizer said in a BSE filing.
Abbott has also stopped sale of its Phensedyl cough syrup.
When contacted a company spokesperson said: “Abbott is complying with all legal requirements related to the government notification.”
The company termed the Health Ministry’s decision to ban “certain fixed dose combinations drugs that have been already approved” as a “unilateral approach”.
“Abbott has reviewed the DCGI notification and we are concerned about the unilateral approach in prohibiting the manufacture, sale and distribution of certain fixed dose combinations that have already been approved for use by DCGI.
“We are evaluating the notification and exploring all available options,” the spokesperson said.
In a gazette notification on March 10, the government had, among others, banned manufacture, sale and distribution of fixed does combination of chlopheniramine maleate plus codiene syrup, which is used in the cough syrups.
