In a big move, India has banned the production of two highly addictive painkillers after which it has been reported of a health crisis. The Union ministry of health and family welfare has ordered immediate cessation of production at Mumbai-based Aveo Pharmaceuticals. The reason behind for the cessation is that it was found exporting an unapproved and potentially dangerous combination of pain-relief drugs to West African nations.
The Centre went on high alert after a BBC report revealed that an Indian pharmaceutical company based in Palghar, Maharashtra, was involved in exporting drugs to certain African countries, leading to a health crisis. On Friday, the Drug Controller General of India, Dr. Rajeev Singh Raghuvansi, announced that the production and export permits for two drugs— Tapentadol and Carisoprodol—had been revoked.
An investigative report by the BBC exposed that an Indian pharmaceutical company named Aveo Pharmaceuticals was exporting a mix of the two drugs in countries like Ghana, Nigeria and Cote D’Ivoire. The report also said that the combination drug caused serious opioid addiction in those countries.
Tapentadol And Carisoprodol
Tapentadol is a strong opioid and is used to relieve severe pain. Carisoprodol is a muscle relaxant used in acute cases or painful bone conditions.
BBC’s Sting Operation
A BBC sting operation revealed company officials admitting to targeting teenagers in Nigeria and other African countries. It also reported that the company had been exporting these drugs to multiple African nations. Aveo Pharmaceuticals was manufacturing the Tafrodol brand, a combination of the two drugs, without any approval.
“Ministry of health and family welfare has taken immediate and decisive action following some news reports highlighting concerns regarding the export of unapproved combination drugs containing Tapentadol and Carisoprodol by Indian Pharmaceutical Manufacturer M/s Aveo Pharmaceuticals, Mumbai to certain countries in West Africa,” the health ministry stated, according to a PIB release.
After BBC aired the report, a joint inspection team from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) and state regulatory authorities conducted a comprehensive audit of Aveo Pharmaceuticals on February 21-22, 2025. The Maharashtra Food and Drugs Authority has subsequently issued a ‘Stop Production’ Order on February 22, the government statement added.
During the audit, authorities uncovered a massive stockpile—around 13 million tablets and capsules—along with 26 batches of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) of both drugs. In a swift move, officials also halted an export consignment of Tapentadol 125 mg and Carisoprodol 100 mg, which was bound for Ghana, at Mumbai Air Cargo as investigations unfolded.
Is The Drug Approved For Use In India?
The health ministry has clarified that while both drugs, Tapentadol and Carisoprodol, are individually approved in India (with Tapentadol available in specific tablet forms and dosages), their combination is not authorized. Additionally, neither drug is classified as a controlled substance under India’s Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
