[india-drug] Govt of India not keen to ban nimesulide for pediatric use

[Anant Bhan <dranantbhan@yahoo.com>]

(Kindly include the affiliation when sending messages, especially the
first time............SS)

Govt of India not keen to ban nimesulide for pediatric use
------------------------------------------------------------

Govt of India not keen to ban nimesulide for pediatric use
Friday, February 21, 2003 08:00 IST 
Our Bureau, New Delhi                    

The Government of India is in no mood to ban the use of nimesulide for
pediatric purpose in the country. In a written reply to a question by
Ramanaidu Duggubati in Lok Sabha on February 18, 2003, Dr. Chhattra Pal
Singh, Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers stated that
majority of the experts within the country have confirmed the
reliability and safety of the drug.                      

He informed that a detailed examination has been undertaken by an
Expert Committee (Sub-Committee) of Drug Technical Advisory Board to
deliberate on the issues concerning the safety of nimesulide, including
its use in children. "More than 20 expert paediatricians across the
country and the Indian Academy of Paediatrics (IAP) were consulted. 
Majority of experts have confirmed the reliability of nimesulide and no
serious adverse reaction in children have been reported in the       
country," he stated.                    

The minister also explained that the drug has not been banned
in almost all countries. The use of nimesulide is reported to have been
suspended only in Spain, Turkey and Finland.
 Nimisulide, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), is     
reported to be used in about 50 countries including India and is
indicated for acute pain/inflammation and fever. In India, the
drug was approved in 1995, and it is a prescription drug, he         
informed.  




The INDIA-DRUG discussion group is a partnership between SATELLIFE
(www.healthnet.org), WHO Essential Drugs and Medicines Policy
(www.who.ch), and the Delhi Society for the Promotion of the
Rational Use of Drugs (DSPRUD) in India.

To send a message to india-drug, write to: india-drug@usa.healthnet.org
To subscribe or unsubscribe, write to: majordomo@usa.healthnet.org
in the body of the message type: subscribe india-drug OR unsubscribe india-drug
To contact a person, send a message to: india-drug-help@usa.healthnet.org