Two of the biggest chemists' bodies have asked the government at the Centre to reconsider regulations over over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, amid escalating abuse by digital platforms. They have asked that retail pharmacists be taken on board while determining the list of OTC medicines and also appealed for revoking a rule related to Covid made in an emergency session under a Gazette notification as GSR 220(E), permitting home delivery of drugs.

Key Highlights

Concerns over GSR 220(E) rule

• The regulation, brought in during the Covid-19 pandemic, allowed home delivery of drugs.

• Chemists allege this rule is now being misused by online platforms to avoid prescriptions and retail chemists.

Stakeholders call for consultation

• The All India Organization of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) and the Federation of Gujarat State Chemists and Druggists Association (FGSCDA) have sought a formal consultation with the health ministry.

• The groups collectively represent more than 13 lakh retail chemists in India.

Potential public health risks highlighted
The bodies alerted that unregulated online sale of drugs would lead to:

• Unbridled self-medication and misuse of drugs

• Greater risk of fake or below-standard medicines

• Increased antibiotic abuse, driving resistance and long-term health risks

Call for inclusion in policy decisions

• The bodies of chemists applauded the government's move to send the issue to the Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB).

• But they underlined the requirement for retail chemists to sit at the policymaking table since they play the frontline role in India's medicine supply chain.

As India reappraises OTC drug laws, retail chemists are asking for a broader policymaking exercise. With concerns about misuse growing, substandard medicines, and antibiotic resistance on the rise, the controversy pinpoints the pressing need for equitable digital and offline pharmacy regulation.