Chemists across India to observe bandh on Oct 14 condemning online sale of drugs
Dear doctors take due note- Public may face hardships in procuring medicines on October 14 across the country, as the All India Chemists and Druggists Association has called for a protest, condemning the online sales of drugs.
The Central Government in a move to promote e-commerce of medicines is pushing for these to be sold online. However this is in direct violation with the Drugs and Cosmetics Act (1940)
In Odisha
For 24 hours on October 14 the medical shops would remain closed. However, chemists’ shops attached to the nursing homes and hospitals won’t be affected. “The centre is keen to promote e-commerce of medicines. But the move directly violates the Drugs and Cosmetics Act-1940,” said general secretary Chaudhury Prabir Das of Utkal Chemists and Druggists Association based out of Odisha. There is restriction on purchasing of toxic drugs in India, which can only be provided to the patients through original prescription at the medicine stores. He also added,”Toxic drugs are prescribed by doctors for patients suffering from psychological disorders, cancer and those who are yet to have undergone surgery.” There are 68 types of molecule-based toxic drugs in India. The association has written to chief minister Naveen Patnaik and health minister not to allowing online sale of medicines in the state. All retail and wholesale medicine dealers will close their stores from midnight of October 13 to midnight of October 14 2014.
In Karnataka
A spokesperson from Karnataka Druggists and Chemists Association said that the online sale of medicine was violation of Drugs and cosmetic act 1940. The representatives of the association gave a memorandum to Karnataka health minister UT Khader and Drugs controller of Karnataka Raghuram Bhandary.
While chemists do sell OTC medicines, the sale of certain medication does require a doctor’s prescription and the patient’s official details. Putting medicine sales online will not only violate the law but also lead to medicines that need prescriptions easily accessible. From a doctor’s perspective, the short term understanding is your patients will not have access to medicines on October 14 while in the long run e-prescription for doctors would mean going paperless and speeding up the process of prescription writing.
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Original Post : Times of India