Chennai: People tend to dismiss the concept of ‘online pharmacy’ with an argument that it could be risky since a prescription is not needed, but reality strikes when you walk into a neighbouring chemist store. One can get any kind of medicine over the counter (OTC) without any prescription.
Around 536 medicines were listed under the Schedule H Drugs - which according to Drugs and Cosmetics Rules cannot be purchased OTC without the prescription of a qualified doctor. However, enforcement of this rule is lax.
Medical stores in different parts of Chennai seem to show no interest in demanding a prescription for many of the drugs that come under the list, including the diabetes medicine Insulin Human.
“It is a commonly used medicine. Many customers have diabetes and we cannot ask each and every customer for a prescription,” said Mohan, a retailer at Avadi.
“Though the state is better than others in terms of inspection, OTC sale of drugs should be completely banned and only the government can do anything about it,” said G. R Ravindranath of Doctors’ Association for Social Equality.
“The retailers are being educated on the same, however, there isn’t much they can do,” said Thaneermalai Natarajan, general secretary of Chemists and Druggists Association.
“Doctors nowadays are very expensive and getting a single appointment with them is also difficult. Those who come from not so well to do backgrounds, therefore prefer taking the advice of the man behind the counter with regard to what medicine to take when suffering with small ailments like a headache, cold or loose motion,” he said.
The Union health and family welfare ministry had introduced an amendment to the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules stating that antibiotics and anti-tuberculosis drugs should not be sold OTC without a prescription from March 1, 2014. These medicines were then listed under a different category called Schedule H1 drugs.
As many as 46 drugs were placed under this restricted category. “Besides imposing the ‘need for a prescription’ rule, the government should also introduce a seal which should be stamped on the prescriptions so that it is not repetitively used,” said Ravindranath.v
