Chemist group resists Centre’s move to sell drugs without licence

The Union government’s proposal to permit the sale of over-the-counter (OTC) drugs without a licence in India is a cause of deep concern, the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) has said. AIOCD president J.S. Shinde said that such a move would contravene existing drug laws, pharmacy regulations, and pertinent legal frameworks, including directives from the Supreme Court.

Allowing OTC drug sales without proper regulation poses serious threats, including drug abuse, increased risk of adverse drug reaction, delayed access to healthcare, possible compromise in storage of medicines, and so on.

“Besides this, the absence of pharmacist consultation services, proliferation of counterfeit drugs, delayed access to healthcare services and inadequate pharma co-vigilance measures are also cause of concern,” said AICOD general secretary Rajiv Singhal. The group has also urged the government to consider the multifaceted implications of this proposal, emphasising that unregulated availability of medications in general and grocery stores does not serve the best interests of society.

“With a membership comprising 12.4 lakh chemists across the nation, AIOCD ‚rmly opposes any measure that undermines the integrity of the healthcare system. The organisation stresses the importance of consulting all relevant stakeholders, including AIOCD, in the formulation of regulations pertaining to this matter,” the group said in its memorandum submitted to the Health Ministry.

OTC treats common, self-treated medical problems and symptoms like colds, mild discomfort, allergies, and other benign health issues.