India Halts Export of Painkiller Combination Amid Opioid Crisis Fears

India's drug authority has banned the production and export of the Tapentadol and Carisoprodol combination. This decision follows reports linking it to an opioid crisis in West Africa. Both drugs are approved individually but not as a combination in India. Authorities are withdrawing export permissions as a precaution.

The Indian government's apex drug regulatory authority has recently taken decisive action by banning the production and export of all combinations of the pain relief medicines tapentadol and carisoprodol. This move comes after unsettling news reports revealed that unapproved combinations of these drugs were being exported to West African countries, contributing to a burgeoning opioid crisis there.

The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has issued a formal communication to the drug control authorities across states and Union territories, instructing them to withdraw all export No Objection Certificates (NOCs) and permissions related to the manufacturing of any combinations of these two drugs.

Despite being individually approved by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) in India, tapentadol and carisoprodol are not approved as a combination in the country. Furthermore, they are not included in the list of NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) drugs in India. Given the drugs' potential for harmful impact, as highlighted in a recent BBC article, the DCGI has deemed it necessary to stop all export and manufacturing of these combinations immediately.