Published on: January 30, 2015

It is amazing how much suffering can result from a bureaucratic action that comes out of sheer misunderstanding of facts. The ban on Dextropropoxyphene, taking away the only inexpensive Step II analgesic, was an action that was based on withdrawal of the drugs in the UK, the US and in European Union. Each country had a different reason for banning it, and India followed suit. The result was a huge burden of suffering. The only other Step II opioid available to us is about ten times more expensive.

Dr Savita Butola and Dr M. R. Rajagopal, in their article, “Ban on Dextropropoxyphene is unjustifiable” published in the Indian Journal of Palliative Care, argue why the ban should be withdrawn.