Acute Shortage Of Furoped Syrup Hits Paediatric Cardiac Patients

Mumbai, 2 May 2019: The acute shortage of price-controlled Furoped syrup (furosemide) in the market since last one-and-half years has taken its toll on paediatric cardiac patients. For children with heart failure it is a life-saving diuretic. It drains the body of fluids of babies with heart ailments to reduce the load on the heart. 

In November 2017, the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) had reduced the price of Furoped by 92 per cent with the MRP coming down from Rs. 106 to Rs. 10.

Before the November price revision which was undertaken by NPPA without access to market data, the monthly sales of the drug were to the tune of approximately Rs. 30- 35 lakh. Supplies dwindled to about 40 per cent in the aftermath of that decision.

In June 2018, NPPA increased ceiling price of Furoped to Rs. 2.60 per ml from 29 paise per ml which led to a rise in the price of a 30 ml bottle from Rs. 10 to Rs. 78.

The ceiling price of Furoped was raised by NPPA by almost eight times following reports of the drug going off the shelves after its price was decreased by 92 per cent in 2017.

Despite price revision in June 2018, Samarth Pharmaceuticals, which sells the drug across the country has not maintained adequate supply of Furoped (furosemide), thus forcing parents to break the adult dosage ampule of 40 mg to give the 2mg dose for babies.

Taking serious note of short supply of the drug, NPPA in June 2018 had directed Samarth Pharmaceuticals to rush the supplies to affected areas and submit a compliance report to this office.

Despite NPPA order, the drug maker has hardly restored the supply of Furoped.

The continuing shortage of the life-saving drug is a matter of concern, said cardiologist and president of Heart Care Foundation of India (HCFI) Dr KK Aggarwal. 

Last week HCFI had written to Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) urging him to take steps to ensure adequate supply of life-saving Furoped syrup in the country. Pharmabiz