Inhaler Foracort Hits Pharma Market in January Riding Post Covid & Air Pollution Concerns
Securing the top position usually held by anti-diabetic and cardiovascular drugs, the drug for pulmonary diseases, Foracort, now holds the top spot in the Indian pharmaceutical market. According to data from research firm IQVIA, Cipla’s Foracort showed the highest growth among the top 40 brands in the Indian pharma market, with Cipla’s Budecort close behind in January.
“Among the top 10 brands, Foracort has shown the highest growth followed by Budecort for the month,” said the monthly report released by IQVIA for January. The data shows that Foracort is the top brand with 83 crores sales and a monthly growth of 20 percent.
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Foracort is an inhaler that is a respiratory medicine primarily used to treat the symptoms of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This shows a change in the acceptance of inhalers, as before, there was fear associated with the use of inhalers. Budecort is a steroid used to treat and prevent asthma symptoms such as wheezing and shortness of breath.
The official spokesperson of IQVIA, Swati Chaudhary, told News18 that the category of respiratory drugs has started to grow “significantly post-COVID, which may be due to changes in environmental conditions and increase in pollution levels in different regions”.
Since November, Foracort has maintained its leading position, which is probably due to the onset of the winter season together with air pollution, both of which are known to aggravate respiratory diseases. Otherwise, the inhaler brand continues to fluctuate in different rankings, but among the top 10 brackets. For example, in October, the broad-spectrum antibiotic Monocef topped the charts, followed by the antibiotic Augmentin. Foracort holds the third position.
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INHALERS ARE THE BIGGEST CATEGORY
According to Chaudhary, senior director of commercial business, South Asia, IQVIA, the top 40 brands in the Indian pharmaceutical market usually have categories such as diabetes, anti-infectives, proton pump inhibitors (PPI), management of pain and respiratory therapies.
“Monthly analysis revealed that areas of frequent therapy such as diabetes and cardiovascular showed particularly strong performance,” he said.
The data shows that the “asthma and COPD market” contributes 44 percent of the total respiratory market – the highest compared to any other category such as cough and cold and anti-histamine drugs. .
Chaudhary’s analysis also points out that inhalers are the best-selling category under the asthma and COPD category drugs. “Within asthma and COPD, inhalation preparations are the largest category with a 55% contribution. It has grown at 18% year-on-year and 14% CAGR in the last five years.
BLAME ON COVID, AIR POLLUTION AND MORE
The trend shown by the market data is also consistent with the observation of doctors in their clinical practice.
Sample this: Dr Navneet Sood, senior consultant, pulmonology at New Delhi-based Dharamshila Narayana Suprspeciality Hospital, told News18 that he has seen many people come to him with “breathing problems”.
“This increase started before COVID-19, but it got worse after. Covid-19 made us pay more attention to respiratory issues, but it is not the only reason for the increase. There are several reasons why many people have problems with their breathing. A big reason is air pollution.”
WHAT OTHER EXPERTS SAY
“The rise of respiratory medicine to become a major category of Indian medicine brands will be a factor that will be important in raising awareness among the general public, especially in the post-Covid era,” said Dr Ravi Shekhar Jha. , head of department, pulmonology, Fortis Escorts Hospital, Faridabad.
Another health expert, Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, believes that the trend may highlight one of the health concerns faced by many people post-Covid. “Many people experience a persistent cough that persists despite trying various medications, continuing for months even after the initial infection.”
READ ALSO | Fluctuating SpO2, Cough, Asthma, Lung Disorder: Air Pollution Threatens to Kill Covid Victims
He linked a study that found that the more you are infected with Covid-19, with or without knowledge, the chance of developing lung diseases such as asthma increases. “After infection, the airways become hypersensitive. This can be further triggered by increased air pollution.”
A landmark study conducted by the Christian Medical College, Vellore, found prolonged lung damage after Covid-19, affecting lung function, exercise capacity and quality of life.
The study titled ‘Effect of post-COVID-19 lung damage on pulmonary function, exercise tolerance and quality of life in Indian subjects’ said the Indian population showed more symptoms and lung damage compared to other studies, which highlight the significant impact of post- Covid-19 lung damage on health and well-being.
ACCEPTANCE OF INHALERS IN INDIA
Foracort inhaler topping the charts shows a remarkable change in Indian attitude towards inhaler use. According to Dr Maninder Dhaliwal, an expert in pediatric pulmonology, the surge in sales of Foracort, has its positive and negative sides.
“Foracort is an inhaler drug. It is good that the public now recognizes allergies and asthma as a disease that increases the acceptance of these respiratory drugs that are delivered through inhalers.”
He said this shows that “improved recognition and reduced stigma” associated with the use of inhalers could help better control these conditions.
“At the same time, the increased use is worrying because it means that there is a noticeable increase in these conditions in large and small cities largely due to the increase in air pollution and environmental destruction caused by people.”
In children, he said there is an increase in respiratory infections causing fever, cough and bronchospasm. “While the fever is short-lived, the cough persists for a longer time due to pollution, irritation and possibly a gradual change in the body’s response over the years.” That phenomenon may have also contributed to the use of more inhaled medications over the years.
READ ALSO | Chest CT Scans Reveal Lung Abnormalities in Patients 2 Years After Covid, Study Says
Senior consultant, pediatric ICU and pediatric pulmonology, Dhaliwal warned that “breathing clean air is more urgent now than ever.”
“The lung is a delicate organ in the human body where we have a limited ability to protect against increasing insults from the environment. If we continue to neglect the health of the lungs, we stand to compromise it and continue to invest more on respiratory drugs, as is the case now.”
