An Indian court has granted Pfizer an interim injunction on a ban of its cough syrup Corex, reports Reuters. This injunction comes just days after the Indian government ordered it to be prohibited, saying it exhibits a potential risk to humans.
India's health ministry banned the cough syrup Corex in a notice posted the weekend of March 12. According to Livemint, the government banned a total of 344 drug combinations from various drug makers after a panel of experts "found they posed a health risk." Around half dozen codeine-related combinations were part of the government’s list.
According to the India health ministry's notice: “The centre is satisfied that the use of the drug fixed dose combination of chlopheniramine maleate, plus codeine syrup, is likely to involve risk to human beings, whereas safer alternatives are available."
Corex cough syrup from Pfizer is a combination of chlopheniramine maleate and codeine.
Following the notice, Pfizer's Indian subsidiary appealed the ban. The company was granted a stay March 14, pending the next court hearing, Pfizer said in a statement.
The next hearing is slated for March 21.