This is a fresh update for the diabetics! Reports state that the Government may take back the suspension it had ordered against anti-diabetic drug pioglitazone. The sources confirm that the drug may now come with a package warning!!
Anti-diabetes drug pioglitazone ban
The recent suspension of the sales of the anti-diabetic drug pioglitazone, had created a furor all around, seeing this the Government may plan to revoke the withdrawal orders of the drug. The blanket ban may not be introduced now; rather the package of the drug may carry a boxed warning that will caution the patients about the various side effects it can cause.
A large number of leading pharmaceutical companies namely Abbott, Sun Pharma, and Lupin all manage collective sales of almost 700 crores every year by the sale of the anti-diabetic drug pioglitazone.
Review meeting on ban
When the blanket ban was introduced on the drug by the Government, the medical fraternity and the industry raised their voices in opposition forcing the Government to ask for a review meeting on the ban of drug on the 11th of July.
Director General Health Services and Drug Controller General of India summoned the meeting and pharmacologists and many prominent diabetologists attended the meeting to discuss the issue. They all shared their views and comments from the clinical and medical experts were carefully weighed upon and finally the chairman decided to pull off the ban and include a boxed warning instead.
The official was heard stating “There were 12 experts who were called for the meeting and were asked for their comments about the drug. Almost everyone supported the need of the drug for the patients and came with the suggestion that there should certainly be a boxed warning on the packaging of the medicine.”
DTAB meeting
After this initial step the suggestion for the revoking of the ban will be put forth to the Drug Technical Advisory Board (DTAB). The Board meeting is scheduled for the July 19th and all the gathered scientific data and facts will once again be scrutinized .
After the approval for removing the ban is got from the DTAB only then will the government revoke the drug sale suspension orders and give permission to write the warning on the box labels.
After seven cases of the side effects of the anti diabetic drug were reported, the Government had ended up suspending the sale of pioglitazone in India. It was in Chennai that the bladder cancer cases had been reported raising suspect fingers at the drug. No other similar case has been recorded in any other part of India. Nearly 3-4 million were dependent on this drug for diabetes control in India though the drug is already banned in France because of the side effects it may cause.
