The Hindu : New Delhi News : Chemists oppose selling drugs at grocers' stores

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Sep 08, 2006

New Delhi

New Delhi

Chemists oppose selling drugs at grocers' stores

Staff Reporter

Threat to launch nationwide agitation in case the Central Government goes ahead with its plan

NEW DELHI: Chemists across the country have raised serious objections to the Government's latest proposal to make available over-the-counter (OTC) drugs at grocers' and department stores.

Threatening to launch a nationwide agitation in case the Government goes ahead with its plan, the All-India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) plans to meet senior Union Health Ministry officials soon to "impress upon them the need to pull back the proposal''.

"The latest proposal is aimed at encouraging the dangerous trend of self-medication that is a menace in our society. The Government will not be able to regulate consumers buying drugs for self-treatment. The city is already dealing with the problem of spurious drugs and with OTC drugs being made available in the shop next door, keeping a check with only a handful of drug inspectors will become a major challenge. The proper handling and storage of drugs may also be compromised under the latest proposal,'' says AIOCD general secretary J. S. Shinde.

Meanwhile, the draft notification when it comes into effect will take OTC drugs out of chemists stores and make available drugs including anti-malarial drugs, paracetamol, analgesic balms, aspirin, antacids, oral re-hydration solution, gripe water and cold and cough medicines, at grocers' and department stores, much like the practice in developing countries.

Delhi Medical Council member Dr. Anil Bansal said: "We as doctors don't recommend that the Government go ahead with the proposal because the country still does not have the infrastructure to support bringing out these drugs from the chemists' shops to department stores where regulation of quality and monitoring of patients from misuse becomes impossible. While we admit that it will make drugs easily accessible, the risks of doing so in the country without first preparing people to understand and follow the judicious use of drugs might work negatively for patients.''

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