U.S. consumer health giant Procter & Gamble’s (P&G) has discontinued the manufacture and sale of its popular brand ‘Vicks Action 500 Extra’ citing to its potential health risk. The product is a fixed-dose combination (FDC) of paracetamol, phenylephrine and caffeine.

Thus, in a gazette notification on March 10, the Government had prohibited the manufacture, sale and distribution of fixed dose combination of chlorpheniramine maleate plus codeine syrup. These combinations are usually used in the cough syrups.

Pfizer in a BSE filing stated that “The Government of India has prohibited the manufacture for sale and distribution of fixed-dose combination drugs (Paracetamol + Phenylephrine + Caffeine) with immediate effect.”

Pfizer and Abbott stopped the sale of popular cough syrups Corex and Phensedyl respectively.

The spokesperson of the company said, “Abbott is complying with all legal requirements related to the government notification.” He further said that they are concerned for the health of a patient as they will not have access to certain medicines which were successfully effective and used in India for years.

P&G also said that their products including Vicks Action 500 Extra were properly researched to ensure their quality, safety and efficacy. As reported by Livemint, Pharmaceutical companies are considering challenging the government order.

P&G shares were declined by 1.02% and were trading at Rs.6,066 at 9.35am on the BS. However, it is not quite clear how much the product contributed to their sales.

Along with Vicks Action 500 Extra, 344 more drug combinations including several antibiotics and analgesics were ordered to be banned by Indian Government. Government had selected a panel of experts who found the combinations lacked “therapeutic justification” and thus needed a prohibition.

Analysts have estimated a loss of about Rs 3,500 crore-3,800 crore for Pharmaceutical companies owing to the ban.