The sales of antacids in Gujarat have gone up significantly over the last five years, causing doctors and pharmacists to worry about rising self-medication and abuse. New information from Pharmarack indicates a 73% increase in sales of antacids from 2020 to 2025, fueled by post-Covid health trends, unstable lifestyles, and over-the-counter availability.

Key Highlights

Market Growth

• Antacid sales in Gujarat increased from ₹230 crore in 2020 to ₹398 crore in 2025.

• The overall gastrointestinal drug market increased from ₹603 crore to ₹1,062 crore over the same period—a 76% rise.

Current Consumption Trends

• Antacids now account for 38% of the state's GI drug segment.

• A 21% surge was witnessed in FY25 alone, with sales increasing from ₹329 crore to ₹398 crore.

Factors Behind the Surge

• Sheetal Sapale, Pharmarack's Vice President (Commercial), attributed weather changes, increased viral infections, and post-infection weakness as major reasons.

• Growing consumption of painkillers, which tend to cause acidity, has driven demand for antacids.

Doctor and Pharmacist Inputs

• Dr. Sanjay Rajput, gastroenterologist, mentioned that medication and lifestyle habits during the Covid times have necessitated increased use of antacids.

• Excessive use of steroids, antibiotics, and painkillers during the pandemic caused epidemic gastritis.

Rise In Self-Medication

• Most antacids are purchased over-the-counter without prescription.

• Jashvant Patel, Federation of Gujarat State Chemists and Druggists' Association President, estimated 25-30% of antacid purchases are now for self-medication.

• He alerted that though widely used, antacids are being indiscriminately treated as innocuous, particularly among young adults.

The uncontrolled surge in antacid consumption throughout Gujarat reflects increasing self-medication tendencies and lifestyle-associated gastric complaints. Although antacids are commonly combined with other drugs to prevent side effects, medical practitioners urge greater public awareness and prudent use—particularly among young people.