Fixed- dose combos ban adds to burden of new essentials list

At least four drugmakers have rushed to court following the ban on more than 300 fixed-dose combination (FDC) medicines, the latest and most potent of regulatory actions that has shaken up the Rs 98,000-crore Indian pharmaceutical industry. Impact of this FDC ban is estimated at around Rs 3,000 crore a year. This is in addition to the burden imposed by an enlarged essential medicines list released in December & the impending price cuts of scheduled drugs under the yearly WPI-based annual price revision exercise. ET takes a look...