Hospitals, chemists await regulator's word on Ranbaxy drugs

Leading hospitals in Mumbai are awaiting guidance from the regulator Food and Drug

Administration before taking any decision on issuing advisory over prescribing drugs manufactured by Ranbaxy.

While Ranbaxy continues to assert that its drugs meet all regulatory standards, a few hospitals and pharmacies have adopted a cautious stand on use of its products.However, a majority of hospitals and chemist chains continue to pose faith in Ranbaxy drugs, pending any adverse direction from the authorities concerned.

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Drug regulator DGCI is conducting a “focussed scrutiny” of medicines sold by Ranbaxy and some other drugmakers, but says it remains confident of the quality standards of Indian medicines despite concerns raised by US authorities over some of Ranbaxy’s products.

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“FDA is the regulatory authority here and unless it tells us, we will not do anything … (issue advisory) over prescribing Ranbaxy drugs,” Hinduja Hospital Director Professional Services Dr Gustad Daver told PTI.

Earlier, Jaslok Hospital in Mumbai had issued an advisory to its doctors to avoid prescribing drugs manufactured by Ranbaxy. Apollo Pharmacy, India’s largest pharmacy chain, has also issued ‘cautionary’ advisory based on concerns raised by the medical committee last week.

Leading hospitals in Mumbai like Kokilaben Hospital, KEM Hospital, Nanavati and Bombay Hospital have continued to prescribe the Ranbaxy drugs.

On May 13, Ranbaxy was asked to pay $500 million to settle the US government charges of selling adulterated drugs manufactured at its two plants in India. The Indian Medical Association has asked the Drug Controller General of India to investigate the quality of

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drugs manufactured and sold by Ranbaxy.

Asked about the concerns being raised over Ranbaxy products in the wake of orders passed against the company by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), DCGI G N Singh told PTI that no Indian company is selling sub-standard drugs and it is conducting a scrutiny to reconfirm this view.

Ranbaxy Laboratories is an integrated international pharmaceuticals company engaged in the marketing, production and distribution of pharmaceuticals products. It manufactures medicines for cardiovascular, respiratory and gastro-intestinal ailments, besides anti-retroviral drugs.

PTI