Ranbaxy to seek New York city mayor's advice to resolve US ban

Mumbai: India's largest pharmaceutical maker, Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd., has retained former New York City mayor Rudy Guiliani to help it resolve a US Food and Drug Administration ban on importing over 30 generic drugs, the company said on Thursday.

On Tuesday, the FDA barred Ranbaxy from importing a raft of drugs_ including generic versions of the popular antibiotic Cipro and the cholesterol pill Zocor, citing poor quality at two Ranbaxy factories in India.

Giuliani and Giuliani Partners, a consulting and investment firm, will provide advice and review compliance issues, the company said.

Last year, sales of generic drugs in the US accounted for 23 per cent of Ranbaxy's total revenue.