Drug Controller is now planning to regulate manufacturing of hormone drug Oxytocin to Public sector undertakings (PSUs).
Oxytocin is a hormone known to trigger a wide variety of physical and psychological effects and is commonly used to facilitate childbirth. The Government of India banned retail sale of the hormone in 2014 after it was found that indiscriminate use of Oxytocin in milch animals and by farmers was causing irreversible hormone damage.
According to the statement given by G.N. Singh, Drug Controller General of India in one the daily newspaper, “We want to restrict the manufacturing of active pharmaceutical ingredient [API] to PSUs. The Health Ministry’s idea is to restrict everything is to public sector and as the drug regulator, we agree with the government’s thinking. This will be done at the earliest.”
In March 2016, the Himachal Pradesh High Court directed the Central government to “consider the feasibility of restricting the manufacture of Oxytocin only in public sector companies and also restricting and limiting the manufacture by companies to whom licences have already been granted.”
