India prohibited highly opioids after media investigations

Nairobi, Kenya (Horn observer) – The Indian authorities have banned the production and export of two addictive opioids after a BBC examination uncovered their role in the attachment of a crisis of public health in West Africa.

In an official letter from the BBC, Dr. Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, the general controller of India, that the approval for the production and exporting of these medication was revoked.

A BBC Eye examination showed that the Indian pharmaceutical companies Aveo illegally had a dangerous combination of tapentadol, a strong opioid and carisocrodol, a highly addicted muscle relaxant, to countries such as Ghana, Nigeria and Côte d'Ivoire.

According to these findings, the India's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) attacked the Aveo factory based in Mumbai in Mumbai and confiscated its entire stock.

Dr. Raghuvanshi's circular Friday explicitly referred the results of the BBC as a key factor for the immediate ban on all combinations of tapenstadol carisocodol on Friday.

He cited concerns about the high abuse potential of the drugs and their devastating effects on public health.

Tapenstadol and Carisoprodol

Carisoprodol is prohibited in Europe due to its addictive properties, but remains in the United States for short-term use to three weekly.

Withdrawal symptoms can include anxiety, insomnia and hallucinations.

The combination of tapentadol and carisocrodol is nowhere licensed in the world because it represents serious health risks, including breathing failure, seizures and possibly fatal overdoses.

Despite these dangers, the medication in West Africa are widespread as street markets, where they are cheap and easily accessible.

Public export data show that Aveo Pharmaceuticals, together with his sister company Westfin International, sent millions of these pills to Ghana and other West African nations.

The BBC World Service also discovered pill packages with Aveo brands on the streets of Nigeria and in cities in the entire Côte d'Ivoire.

With 225 million inhabitants, Nigeria is the largest market for these opioids.

According to the country's national statistics office, an estimated four million Nigerians abuse any form of opioid.

As part of its investigation, the BBC used a hidden operative who pretended to be an African businessman who wanted to deliver opioids to Nigeria.

The operative infiltrated one of the Aveo factories in India and excited film material from the Aveo director Vinod Sharma with the same harmful products that BBC had attributed to West Africa.

In the hidden recording, the operational sharma says that the pills are sold to Nigerian teenagers “all love this product”. Sharma replies with a casual “OK” and explains that taking two or three pills at the same time “relax” and “high”.

Sharma later admits: “This is very harmful to health”, but rejects the concerns and explains: “Nowadays this is business.”

Neither Sharma nor Aveo Pharmaceuticals answered the BBC's request after the first examination was published.

In an explanation on Friday, the FDA of India confirmed that a stitch operation to confiscate Aveo's total existence and to suspend further production led.

Legal measures against the company are now underway.

The agency emphasized its commitment to act illegal pharmaceutical activities and explained that it was “fully prepared” to take measures against those who affect the country's reputation.

In addition, civil servants were instructed to carry out further inspections to prevent the continued care of these dangerous medication.