Govt looks to delink consultation, selling of homeopath drugs

NEW DELHI: CHEMISTS SELLING ALLOPATHIC MEDICINES WILL ALSO BE ALLOWED TO SELL HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINES WITHOUT THE NEED TO HAVE A SEPARATE LICENCE

Homeopathic doctors will soon be barred from selling medicines from the premises they are practising, according to new rules proposed by the government that are to be notified soon. “No registered homeopathic medical practitioner who is practicing homeopathy in the premises where homeopathy medicines are sold, shall deal in homeopathic medicines,” according to the new draft rules.

The new rules were drafted following complaints that commercial interests were influencing behaviour of homeopaths, government officials said.

“It was seen that pharmacists had started to station a homeopath in their shop for consultations. Likewise, homeopathy practitioners other than dispensing their medicines to their patients had started selling them over the counter too,” said an official in the Ayush ministry, one of the people cited above. “Once notified (the rules), this will delink consultation and selling of medicines. Chemist shop is a commercial entity and the objective of this rule is to ensure that doctors only prescribe and not sell medicines.”

According to one of the draft rules, chemists selling allopathic medicines will also be allowed to sell homeopathic medicines without the need to have a separate licence as required now. “These medicines shall be sold in sealed small quantity packing and they will have to be stored separately from allopathic drugs,” said a health ministry official.

According to the proposed rules, a person eligible to practice medicine with prescriptive rights should hold a degree in homeopathy from a recognised university or a degree in pharmacy from the recognised university or Bachelor’s degree from a recognised university with one year experience in dealing with homeopathic medicines in the clinic of a registered homeopathic medical practitioner or with the holder of a license in Form 20C or form 20D (applications for retail are made under these forms) or diploma in homeopathic pharmacy or homeopathy and surgery.

Homoeopathic medicines are covered under the provisions of Drugs & Cosmetic Act, 1940. The new draft rules which were deliberated in detail by the sub committee of DTAB before they were sent to law ministry for vetting, will be notified by the ministry of health and family welfare.