HEALTH

‘Disprin withdrawn due to commercial considerations’
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 3
The decision of the British pharmaceutical multinational, Reckitt Benckiser, to withdraw its popular painkiller Disprin from the market, was dictated more by commercial considerations rather than clinical reasons.

This was stated here today by Mr B.P. Shrikent, general manager, corporate affairs of the company, in an interview with TNS. He said aspirin worldwide was shifting from a over-the-counter (OTC ) drug for pain relief to being a prescribed drug for antiplatelet aggregation (blood thinning agent) in a large number of disease conditions, including heart attacks. Production of Disprin had, therefore, been discontinued.

Instead, the company had recently launched Disprin Plus for the pain relief market. Disprin Plus contains paracetamol, which is increasingly preferred by doctors and consumers worldwide for pain relief and fever reduction and has a better tolerance profile. Paracetamol is suitable for all age groups and specific groups like asthmatics and the elderly. Disprin Plus is formulated to deliver fast relief from common aches and pains like headache, bodyache and muscular pain.

He also said the company would soon launch Disprin CV, which would be a low priced 100 mg asprin dose for the cardiovasular market as recommended by the WHO. It would be priced at 14 paise per tablet. Dispirin would operate in the prescription market.

The analgesics and cold flu segments are amongst the largest segments within the OTC market. The analgesics market is estimated to be Rs 129 crore and the cold flu market is estimated at Rs 92 crore.

Aspirin and paracetamol are the two drugs commonly used across the world in OTC medication for pain relief and for reducing fever. Over the years, paracetamol has become increasingly popular for pain relief and fever reduction, whilst the use of aspirin is shifting from being a OTC drug for pain relief to being a prescribed drug for antiplatelet aggregation (blood thinning agent) in a large number of disease conditions.

The cardiovascular aspirin market is a purely prescription market. The size of this market is estimated to be Rs 35 crore and is growing at over 20 per cent. The World Health Organisation recommended dose for use of aspirin for cardiovascular treatment is 100 mg per tablet. The leading brands in the low dose aspirin market ( for cardiovascular market ) are Ecosprin, ASA 50, Loprin and Colsprin.

Disprin is a 350 mg soluble aspirin tablet. It has been a OTC analgesic for headaches, minor aches and pains and for reducing fever. This formulation has its limitations in usage when compared to paracetamol-based formulations as aspirin is not suitable for children, elderly patients, asthma patients and patients with ulcer.

Disprin Plus is a 500 mg paracetamol OTC tablet for pain relief. Launched earlier this month as paracetamol is increasingly preferred by doctors and consumers worldwide for pain relief and fever reduction, it has better tolerance profile.

Disprin Cold and Flu is a 500 mg paracetamol + decongestant tablet launched in 1999 to cater to the cold and flu market.

Disprin CV is a 100 mg aspirin dose as per World Health Organisation recommended dose for the cardiovascular market. It will be launched towards the end of September for Disprin brand loyals specifically for cardiovascular use.

Co;sprin 100 is a 100 mg aspirin tablet with a 2.6 per cent share of the cardiovascular market.

SPORTS

Moti Ram school, GNPS in semis
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, October 3
Sanjay Public School, Sector 44, made mincemeat of Gyan Jyoti Public School, SAS Nagar, for a 7-0 win on the opening day of the CBSE (Cluster XI) Football Meet at Football Stadium, Sector 17, here today. The half-time score was 3-0.

Earlier, the meet was inaugurated by Mr G.P. Gautam, OSD, Sports, CBSE, Delhi. In another match, Moti Ram Arya Senior Secondary School, Sector 27, outplayed Tribune Model School, Sector 29, 1-0. The half-time score was 0-0.

In the third match, St Soldier International Public School, Sector 28, defeated Satluj Public School, Panchkula, 4-0. The half-time score was 2-0.

In the last match, Guru Nanak Public School, Sector 36, defeated Shishu Niketan Model School, Sector 22, 4-0.

The half-time score was 2-0. The four winners made it to the last four of the meet.

Shooting tourney

The 26th Chandigarh State Shooting Championship, being organised by the Chandigarh Rifle Association, will begin here tomorrow at Patiali Ki Rao shooting range, Sector 25.

According to Mr J.S. Dhillon, vice-president of the association, the events will include air rifle, .22 rifle, air pistol, centre fire pistol, ISSF and NR style in senior, junior and sub-junior men and women sections.

The selection of the UT shooting team will also be made for the GVM Mavlankar All-India Shooting Championship and the National Shooting Championships to be held at Asansol (West Bengal) and Indore (Madhya Pradesh) respectively.

Triathlon, aquathlon

The eighth Chandigarh State Triathlon and Aquathlon meet for senior, junior and sub-junior boys and girls will be held on October 14 at Panjab University swimming pool, Sector 14. This was stated by Mr H.C. Sharma, secretary, Chandigarh Triathlon Association.

The winners in this meet will represent the Union Territory in the National Triathlon and Aquathlon Championship to be held in Chennai on December 15 and 16.

The distances for the senior triathlon events will be swimming (1.5 km), cycling (40 km) and running (10 km), while for junior it would be swimming (1 km), cycling (20 km) and running (5 km).

In the sub-junior aquathlon it will be swimming (400 metres) and running (3 km) while for junior distance in swimming (750 metres) and running (5 km).

ADMINISTRATION

Encroachments removed
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 3
The Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) today continued with its demolition drive against illegal constructions. Staircases and other structures built outside the permitted area in Palsora colony were demolished. All these were fresh construction.

The structures were erected on government land. Palsora colony is a rehabilitation colony in which slum-dwellers were allotted plots in lieu of their jhuggis. The provision was to have a room and staircase on the ground floor with a provision for another room on the first floor.

But most of the residents had built additional room on the ground floor while using the adjoining government land to build staircases and other structures.

Sources said the demolition drive would continue against all fresh unauthorised constructions.

Release enhanced wages, demand SPOs
Tribune News Service

SAS Nagar, October 3
The Special Police Officers (SPOs) in Ropar district are up in arms against the failure on the part of the police authorities to release their enhanced wages since January this year. Around 200 SPOs are posted in the district.

On the condition of anonymity, they said the SPOs in other districts were being paid an increase of Rs 20 per day in their wages. The Senior Superintendent of Police, SAS Nagar, Mr G.P.S. Bhullar, said he had written to the Finance Department on the issue. He said the increased wages and the arrears would be paid as soon as the clarification came.