Fixed dose combinations: All you need to know!

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: Fixed dose combinations or FDCs are being used to treat a number of conditions, and are particularly useful in the management of HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. Around 350 FDC drugs have been banned in India for ensuring safety and efficacy of the medicines.

What is it?

Fixed dose combination or FDC is one that contains two or more active pharmaceutical ingredients in fixed proportions in a single pill.

Advantages

• More convenient, easier to take and with fewer side effects
• May increase medication compliance by reducing the pill burden of patients
• Greater efficacy compared to monotherapy
• Cheaper shipment and packaging activities

Disadvantages

• Since FDCs are a combo pill, it may be difficult to find out the active ingredient responsible for an adverse effect
• Drug interactions may occur between active ingredients and excipients which are used in the FDCs
• Lacks dosing flexibility for its individual components