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TN DDC cracks whip on sale of scheduled drugs without prescription to restrain people from self-medication
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Peethaambaran Kunnathoor, Chennai
May 28 , 2021
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The Directorate of Drugs Control (DDC) in Tamil Nadu has asked all its drug inspectors in the state to conduct surprise raids in medical shops under their jurisdiction and check if they sell scheduled drugs without valid prescriptions.
The initiative is to restrain people from indulging in self-medication during the pandemic period as people with mild and moderate symptoms of Covid-19 and even asymptomatic are approaching medical shops asking for scheduled category drugs along with paracetamol. All the medical shops have been asked not to sell any prescription drug along with OTC products.
Government hopes that the inspection drive will help force the people to approach doctors for testing and get prescriptions for the required medications. It is found that some sort of people with viral fever is unwilling to consult doctors in hospitals, but prefers to self-medication. “Even they ask for remedesivir without knowing the consequences, but it is due to panic,” said a senior officer in the drugs control department.
According to sources from the directorate the top officials got the information that scheduled category drugs were being sold along with OTC products by the medical shop owners everywhere. Since Covid-19 has shot up in the state again, demand for paracetamol is increasing and people who approach the medical shops for paracetamol are demanding the Schedule H, H1 and X category drugs along with it. Without receiving prescriptions of registered medical practitioners, the shop owners sell azithromycin and ivermectin along with paracetamol. The department finds this as an illegal practice of sale which has to be curbed, says director M Sivabalan.
He said action will be taken against all the violators as per Rule 65 for selling drugs violating label directions and illegal sale. Azithromycin is a Schedule H category antibiotic which should be sold against prescriptions by RMPs. On the label of ivermectin it is clearly mentioned that the drug should not be sold by retail without the prescription of a registered medical practitioner.
As per the direction of the drugs controller the enforcement officials conducted raids in Madurai, Tanjore, Salem, Coimbatore and Pudukkottai. Sivabalan said the inspection drive will continue till next week.
When Pharmabiz talked to a drug inspector in a southern district in the state, he said this raid and inspection drive is to give awareness to the people about the use of drugs. Some people without knowing the side effects of the medications take azithromycin and ivermectin along with paracetamol, and that too without consulting a medical professional. He also said the inspection drive will continue till next week. However, he has sent a report of the raids he conducted in his area to the ADC office who will forward it to the directorate in Chennai.
When contacted Kovai Kasiraman, a senior leader of Tamil Nadu Chemists and Druggists Association (TNCDA), he said the traders’ body is regularly educating its members about prescription drugs and drug laws. According to him, the members of TNCDA do not involve in any malpractice or illegal trade.
As regards instances of mucormycosis (black fungus) found in various places in Tamil Nadu, the director of the drugs control department said government has placed an order of 5,000 vials of amphotericin B, the antifungal medication used for serious fungal infections.
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