THE Government has suspended the manufacture for sale, sale and distribution of following drugs in 2013 as the use of these drugs was likely to involve risk to the human health:

1. Dextropropoxyphene and formulations containing Dextropropoxyphene for human use.

2. Analgin and all formulations containing analgin for human use.

3. Fixed Dose Combination of Flupenthixol+Melitracen for human use.

4. Pioglitazone and all formulations containing Pioglitazone for human use.

Apart from the above drugs suspended during the current year, the following drugs were prohibited during the last three years:

1. Rosiglitazone.

2. Nimesulide formulations in children below 12 years of age.

3. Cisapride and its formulations for human use.

4. Phenylpropanolamine and its formulations for human use.

5. Human Placental Extract and its formulations for human use except its

(i) Topical application for wound healing, and

(ii) Injection for pelvic inflammatory disease.

6. Sibutramine and its formulations for human use.

7. R-Sibutramine and its formulations for human use.

8. Gatifloxacin formulation for systemic use in human by any route including oral and injectable

9. Tegaserod and its formulations

10. Letrozole for induction of ovulation in anovulatory infertility.

11. Serodiagnostic test kits for diagnosis of tuberculosis.

The suspension of Pioglitazone and all formulations containing Pioglitazone for human use was revoked on the recommendation of Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB). Accordingly, a revised notification permitting the manufacturefor sale, sale and distribution of Pioglitazone and all formulations containing Pioglitazone for human use subject to the conditions as recommended by DTAB was published.

The Government is already running the Pharmaco vigilance Programme of India for keeping a continuous vigilance on the drugs causing health risks through monitoring, recording and reporting Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) in the country.

This was stated by Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, in a written reply to the Lok Sabha yesterday.