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Less than 1 per cent of the drugs manufactured in Gujarat, a state that accounts for 35-40 per cent of India's pharmaceutical production, have been affected by the latest ban on 344 fixed dose combination (FDC) drugs.
FDCs are a combination of two or more drugs in a single pill. Around 400 companies and 2,000 drugs have been affected by the Centre's latest ban on 344 FDCs, according to HG Koshia, commissioner of the Gujarat Food and Drug Control Administration.
"There are 225,000 product manufacturing licences in Gujarat obtained by 2,250 pharmaceutical companies. Going by this, less than 1 per cent of the drugs manufactured in the state of Gujarat have been affected," Koshia said.
Industry representatives, however, said the calculation must be based on how much of these drugs were in some stage of distribution. "Nearly four to five months of goods are in company warehouses, with wholesalers or with retailers," said Viranchi Shah, vice-chairman of the Gujarat State Board of the Indian Drug Manufacturers' Association.
Shah said the impact at the national level would be Rs 6,000-7,000 crore, going by the four-month rule, and the money immediately lost would be Rs 2,000-2,500 crore.
"Since Gujarat accounts for 35-40 per cent of the nation's drug production, Rs 900-1,000 crore worth of products have been impacted in the state," he added.
The state FDCA is drawing up a list of drugs and their manufacturers that face the ban. Koshia added the agency was not in a hurry to take action as many manufacturers had moved court.
