DNA Explainer: What is Dolo-650 controversy? Know why company gave Rs 1000 cr-worth freebies to doctors (2024)

Dolo-650 has remained a household name when it comes to fever or common flu medication. The company reached its high point during the Covid-19 pandemic, when doctors used to recommend the tabled as the go-to medication for any mild symptoms.

The company that manufactures Dolo-650 tablets, Micro Labs, had its profits go through the roof during the peak of the coronavirus outbreak, so much so that the medicine became a meme on social media due to its frequent use in Indian households.

Now, the company that manufactures the drug has found itself in the middle of a controversy after the Federation of Medical & Sales Representatives Association of India (FMRAI) has alleged that it distributed freebies worth Rs 1000 crores to doctors to push the drug.

What is the Dolo-650 controversy about?

According to the FMRAI vs Union of Indiacase being heard in the Supreme Court, it has been alleged that Micro Labs was giving doctors freebies that amounted up to over Rs 1000 crores total to prescribe Dolo-650 as the go-to drug to all patients with flu symptoms.

A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and AS Bopanna was told by senior advocate Sanjay Parikh and advocate Aparna Bhat, appearing for petitioner 'Federation of Medical and Sales Representatives Association of India', that the market price of any tablet up to 500mg is regulated under price control mechanism of the government but the price of drug above 500mg can be fixed by manufacturer Pharma Company.

He said that to ensure a higher profit margin, the company distributed freebies to doctors to prescribe the Dolo drug of dosage 650mg capacity.

The advocate further said that the Dolo-650 prescription for most of the patients was an “irrational dose combination”, after which Justice Chandrachud remarked that the drug was exactly what he was given when he was suffering from Covid-19.

The plea filed against the pharmaceutical company stated that even though they have termed this practice as a sales promotion, several “unethical” benefits are offered to doctors to push the drug such as gifts and entertainment, sponsored foreign trips, hospitality, and other benefits.

It said that unethical drug promotion can adversely influence doctors' prescription attitudes and harm human health by over-use/ over-prescription of drugs, prescription of higher doses of drugs than necessary, prescription of drugs for a longer period than necessary, prescription of a higher number of drugs than necessary and prescription of an irrational combination of drugs.

Though Dolo-650 is usually considered a “safe” drug when it comes to paracetamol, its excessive dosage can be linked to severe liver damage. People suffering from liver conditions, kidney diseases, and alcoholism are urged to refrain from taking this drug.

READ |Why Dolo 650mg makers gave away Rs 1,000-crore freebies to doctors? NGO tells Supreme Court