People would not have to take a trip to a medical store anymore to get non-prescription medicines such as cough syrups, pain relievers and anti-fungal cream as these drugs may soon be available at neighbourhood grocery stores, reported Mint.
Several drugs can be bought in India without a signed prescription from a doctor, such as painkillers, cough syrups. (Representational/Shutterstock)
In a move that aims to make non-prescription drugs more accessible for people, the Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) decided in April that such drugs can be sold at grocery stores, the Mint report said citing three people familiar with the matter. However, no official notification has been issued yet.
There are several drugs that can be bought in India without a signed prescription from a doctor, such as painkillers, cough syrups, anti-allergics, laxatives and anti-fungal products. These are also called over-the-counter (OTC) drugs. While the retail store owners won’t need to hire a pharmacist for the sale of these drugs, they will have to obtain a licence, said the report.
According to one of three sources, the government has been working on making this happen for quite some time now and a final decision is not far away. “The government is finalizing the list of OTC drugs and products which can be sold at retail shops. The government has been working on this for a long time, and a final decision is to be taken shortly,” the report quoted the person as saying, who also attended the DTAB meeting.
The second official familiar with the matter told Mint that the government is working on formulating new regulations that will define what these OTC drugs are. “Right now, OTC drugs are not defined or covered under the Drugs Rule, 1945. Once these regulations are in place, the public will be aware of what OTC drugs are, and what types of drugs can be purchased without a prescription…The move is aimed at ensuring accessibility and availability of OTC drugs to the people even in the interiors of the villages and remote areas,” the official said.
Chemists not happy with the move
While the move may prove beneficial for people for cutting down their trip to a medical store to get a non-prescription drug, it puts medical stores and chemists at a risk of loss of sales. The All India Organization of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) is not in favour of the move and has been opposing it.
Expressing concern over how the move will unfold and affect chemists, AIOCD’s general secretary Rajiv Singhal said, “Where will we go? This will put the growth of pharmacists at risk.” He said that letting retail stores sell OTC drugs can lead to misuse and had urged the government to consult and be transparent with chemists before making any decision.
“We are going to submit our representation to the government to seek a transparent and balanced approach in finalizing the sale of OTC drugs at retail level and involve stakeholders like the Indian Medical Association, doctors and Indian Pharmaceutical Association (IPA) before finalizing the change,” he said.
According to the third person familiar with the matter, a list of OTC drugs has already been prepared by the sub-committee and is on the way of getting a final nod after the government re-issues a “draft notification on OTC drugs regulation” and takes stakeholders’ comments.