Licence renewal system complicated, say chemists

LUCKNOW: Drugs prescribed for different illnesses might fall short with chemists in state as licence renewal process has apparently gone complicated.

The matter was raised on Sunday in the annual convention of the Chemists and Druggists Federation of Uttar Pradesh (CDF-UP), the body of over one lakh chemists in Uttar Pradesh. They also mentioned about the problems in e-way bill launched in Sunday.

“The announcement was made to make licencing process simple but it has become complex which is affecting supply of drugs,” said Suresh Kumar, spokesperson CDF-UP.

He said that though stock of medicine is maintained with the carrying and forwarding agents and then the wholesalers and even with the retailers, but if the issues are not sorted out soon the stock will finish and patients will have to face problems.

Meanwhile, in the election conducted for various posts of the CDF-UP Suresh Gupta was elected general secretary along with Diwakar Singh on the post of president. Giriraj Rastogi was appointed the treasurer of CDF-UP.

Addressing the gathering of chemists from across the state, Gupta said that chemists are ready and will support the government in their efforts to fight and eradicate diseases, especially tuberculosis, but the chemists will also oppose any decisions if they are troubling the chemists.

“The rule of having a pharmacist at a chemist shop is based upon the Drug And Cosmetics Act 1940 which is irrelevant in 2018 when digital India is making things transparent and easy,” said Gupta.

In the convention Mahendra Singh, minister of state for Medical and Health said that the issues of the chemists will be considered and attempts will be made to solve them.