The Puducherry administration has intensified efforts to curb the illegal sale of anti-tuberculosis (TB) drugs by private chemists. This move follows sustained complaints of non-compliance with regulations prohibiting the sale of anti-TB drugs outside government-approved sources.

Key highlights

Enforcement actions

• Joint raids conducted by the State TB Cell and the Department of Drugs Control.

• Inspections targeted private chemists involved in illegal sales of anti-TB drugs.

• Efforts to prevent unauthorized sales and sensitize chemists on public health risks.

Regulatory background

• Anti-TB drugs banned from sale in private pharmacies under the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP).

• The ban, initiated in 2017, aims to reduce the risk of drug-resistant TB and ensure treatment adherence.

• The sale of anti-TB drugs through private channels risks non-completion of drug intake, leading to potential MDR-TB cases.

Awareness and sensitization

• Private practitioners in Puducherry now actively report TB cases to the State TB Officer (STO).

• Sensitization campaigns and educational meetings with pharmacists and chemists.

• Efforts have led to a significant decline in private sales of anti-TB drugs.

Prosecution and progress

• Eight joint raids conducted in the past two months, with one chemist prosecuted for violations.

• The initiative has helped ensure that all TB patients are notified and receive free treatment from government sources.

• Puducherry’s TB incidence reduced by 59% since 2015, with advanced screening and diagnostic tools in use.

The crackdown on illegal anti-TB drug sales in Puducherry is part of a broader strategy to reduce the incidence of TB and combat Multi-Drug-Resistant TB (MDR-TB). The ongoing efforts aim to ensure strict compliance with treatment protocols, safeguard public health, and support the government’s TB elimination goals.