Crocin Advance, the paracetamol-based analgesic (pain relief) medication made by GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare (GSKCH), has been in short supply in the market following the company’s decision to pull the over-the-counter (OTC) medicine out of the market.
Crocin went off pharmacy shelves after the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) rejected the company’s request to exempt Crocin Advance Paracetamol Fast Release 500 mg from the provisions of price control under the Drug Price Control Order (DPCO), 2013, as it claimed it was an ‘innovative product’.
Paracetamol comes under the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM), 2013, and is under price control, which fixed the price at 94 paise a tablet. GSK was selling it at Rs.2 a tablet.
“While the price will be cut, there will be a shortage of the medicine as the company has to recall the stock and re-label it before supplying it in the market again,’’ J. S. Shinde, President, All India Organization of Chemists and Druggists, which represents 7.50 lakh pharma wholesalers and retailers, told this correspondent.
Response from NPPAGlaxoSmithKline Asia Pvt. Ltd. put out a statement, saying it had received a response from the NPPA on the application seeking exemption for its product under the provisions of the DPCO (2013).
“GSKAP is reducing the price of Crocin Advance Paracetamol Fast Release 500 mg tablet to conform to the price notified under DPCO, 2013, with immediate effect,’’ the GSKAP statement said, adding, “From now onwards, Crocin Advance 500 mg tablet will be supplied with price revision. Other variants of Crocin continue to be available for consumer consumption. GSKAP has been and will continue to be compliant with the law of the land.’’
Inquiries revealed that the product has been unavailable with leading chemists, including those near major hospitals in Mumbai, though they expect it to be available in a fortnight.
Other paracetamol brands made by Ranbaxy and Cipla, among others, are available, though.
“Nationally, we instructed all our members to return the stock to the company and only sell with the new labels,’’ Mr. Shinde said, adding, that “any retailer selling the product at the older (higher) price could face severe punishment, including revoking of their licence by the authority.’’
