The central drug regulator has imposed a temporary ban on the sale of medicines online in the country.
According to a report in The Times of India, the central drug regulator has directed state drug inspectors to keep a “strict vigil on online sale of medicines“ and also said that strong action would be taken against those flouting the ban.
The TOI report further states, "The drug regulator said in the past few months it has received several representations highlighting 'serious concerns' on issues impacting public health, some even endangering lives, rendering the pharmacovigilance machinery ineffective. The regulator also expressed concern that even if it finds out a problem in any particular online sale, it might not be possible to recall them. Storage conditions could also be compromised, it said."
Last year, the Drugs Consultative Committee had set up a seven-member sub committee to look into the issue of online sale of drugs.
The health ministry is yet to take a final decision on whether or not to allow the online sale of prescription drugs based on the committee's recommendations, the TOI report states.
Around 800,000 pharmacies in the country went on a one-day strike in October last year opposing the government's proposal to regularise online sale of medicines.
A PTI report quoted All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) president J S Shinde as saying, "The government's move towards regularising the sale of medicines through internet would increase the risk of adverse drug reaction, which will give an opening for the entry of low-quality, mis-branded and spurious products. Entering of low-quality products will have a major setback economically, which is estimated to hit eight lakh chemists and about 80 lakh workers and their families."