QUESTION 15
GS3
10 marks
What do you understand by Fixed Dose Drug Combinations (FDCs)? Discuss their merits and demerits.
WRITE IN
7 min
200 words
What the examiner wants
Explain what FDCs are and weigh their merits against their demerits in Indian practice.
What; DiscussAnswer exactly what the question asks.
Demand-wise check
- 1Definition: two or more active ingredients in a single dosage form in a fixed ratio≈35 words
- 2Merits: fewer pills and better adherence (TB 4-drug FDC, HIV ART), lower cost, may slow resistance when rational≈35 words
- 3Demerits: irrational combinations with no added benefit, unnecessary antibiotics feeding AMR, drug interactions, no dose adjustment≈35 words
- 4Regulatory gap: many FDCs got state licences without central (DCGI) approval; bans followed≈35 words
Open in about 30 words and close in about 30.
Answer plan
DefinitionRational examples and meritsIrrational examples and demeritsRegulatory responseConclusion
Where marks usually go
- Treating all FDCs as harmful
- Missing the state-licensing loophole behind irrational FDCs
Draw this
- Two-column table: rational FDC example vs irrational FDC example with reason
Value addition
- CommitteeKokate Committee (2015) found 344 FDCs irrational; Government banned them in March 2016.MoHFW, 2016
- PolicyAfter the Supreme Court sent the matter to DTAB (2017), 328 FDCs were banned in September 2018.MoHFW, 2018
Next: plan for one minute, write it in 7 minutes, then get it checked.