The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : New rules likely for sale of antibiotics

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Tuesday, Jun 28, 2011
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

New rules likely for sale of antibiotics

Staff Reporter

Prescription from RMPs must for purchase of 74 identified drugs at stores

16 high-end antibiotics to be made available only at tertiary care hospitals
Government overlooking regions where RMPs are not available, say chemists

HYDERABAD: It will not be possible anymore to go to the friendly neighbourhood chemist for a ‘quick fix' from common cold or a bout of cough. To discourage abuse of antibiotics, the Government of India is making the process of purchase of antibiotics difficult at the level of chemist's. So, get ready to cough-up a fee to the general practitioner on a regular basis, even for mundane ailments.

The health authorities here say that Government of India has identified 90 antibiotics, which will be included in the Drugs and Cosmetics Act under Schedule HX drugs. Under this, 16 high-end antibiotics will not be available at drug stores anymore. Drug manufacturing companies will supply these antibiotics directly to tertiary hospitals. These antibiotics will carry a red label declaring ‘drugs for sale at tertiary care hospitals only', officials said.

The remaining 74 antibiotics will be available at local drug stores but only on prescription from a Registered Medical Practitioner (RMP). “Under the new rules, physicians will retain the duplicate prescription and store it for one year while druggists will keep the prescription for two years,” officials here said.

Andhra Pradesh Chemists and Druggists Association (APCDA) and All India Association of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD), who have received the draft of the Schedule HX rules, expressed their reservations over its implementation.

“The government's intervention to fight abuse of antibiotics is novel, and but we are not sure about the method. The draft says that certain drugs will be available only at tertiary hospitals. This will impact small and medium drug stores. Is it humanly possible to store prescriptions for two years?” asks president of APCDA, Ghisulal Jain.

Chemists say that the government has overlooked regions were RMPs are not available. Members of APCDA and AIOCD have expressed reservations to proposals and are likely to take up an all India strike in few days.

“A qualified doctor may not be available in rural areas. And many can't afford to rush to a city every time for minor health issues. There will be shortage of essential antibiotics because drug stores are not allowed to store certain antibiotic formulations,” chemists maintain.

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