Click to play videoNew Delhi: At least nine drugs, including widely used painkillers like Nimulid have come under the Government's scanner because of long-term side effects.
"All these drugs in the list are very popular. We get atleast 15-20 prescriptions of each one in a day,"said a Pharmacist.
The Union Health Ministry has launched a national vigilance programme to monitor these drugs and study the side effects, specifically on the Indian population.
"The main idea is to draw a watch list. The drugs that will be included are those which have been banned in other countries or the WHO, has pointed out discrepancies or there have been media reports", said Head of Department Pharmacology Dr Y K Gupta.
Diabetes drugs like Roziglitazone and Pioglitazone, which may cause heart-related problems. Anti-psychotic drug Thioridazine which could also cause heart-related problems and painkillers like Phenylbutazone could cause ulcers and kidney damage. Nimulid can cause liver failure and even stroke. Gatifloxacin is an antibiotic is known to cause hallucinations and liver damage.
Even drugs like Oseltamivir and Zanamavir, both are used in swine flu treatment are also under the scanner.
"These are new drugs which have suddenly been used a lot on the population. So we are going to study the effects on the Indian population," said Head of Department, Pharmacology Dr YK Gupta.
An expert committee at AIIMS will then analyse the data and recommend to the Drug Controller General Of India, over the next three to six months, which drugs need to be withdrawn.
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