Why Has Govt Issued a Safety-Warning Against Meftal Painkiller?
The Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) has issued an official alert about the use of common painkiller Meftal as it causes life threatening DRESS Syndrome.
The Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) issued an official alert about the common painkiller called Meftal on 7th December 2023. IPC is an autonomous institution of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare which sets standards for all drugs that are manufactured, sold and consumed in India. Meftal is a common painkiller drug used for menstrual cramps and rheumatoid arthritis. The alert said that people must take Meftal only after consulting their doctors because it contains mefenamic acid which can trigger adverse reactions like DRESS syndrome, etc. DRESS syndrome is a severe adverse drug reaction that causes extensive skin rashes, fever, abdominal pain, indigestion, dry mouth, blurred vision, increased blood pressure, and damage to the liver, pancreas, intestine, heart and lungs along with swelling up neck & throat, and unstable red blood cells and white blood cell counts. According to the report, these symptoms can appear from 2 to 8 weeks of intake of Meftal. Dr Sidhant Goel of Himachal Pradesh’s Hans Foundation said that DRESS syndrome poses a considerable life-threatening risk. Another doctor, Dr. Samrat Shah of Mumbai’s Bhatia Hospital said “Managing this condition necessitates discontinuation of the causative medication. Accurate diagnosis and proper management of DRESS syndrome demand timely medical consultation for those affected by this rare but serious adverse drug reaction.” The government alert informed about the details of the content of Meftal, the adverse effects it can cause and issued a warning by saying “Healthcare professionals, patients, and consumers are advised to closely monitor the possibility of the above adverse drug reactions (ADR) associated with the use of the above-suspected drug.” "If such a reaction is encountered, people, doctors, hospitals should report the matter to the national coordination centre of the Pharmacovigilance Programme of India (PvPI) which is under the commission by filing a form on the website -www.ipc.gov.in - or through android mobile app ADR PvPI and PvPI helpline number 1800-180-3024," The alert was issued by the IPC because Meftal sales had risen drastically and it was rapidly becoming a common painkiller with people using it without caution. People often bought it over the counter to cure their muscle pain, joint pain, sore throat, nerve pain etc. It is very commonly used by women to get relief from menstrual cramps. Kindly consult your doctor before taking any medicines.
