Wholesale chemists decry mandatory registration

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 30

Wholesale chemists and pharmaceutical distributors today held a statewide protest against Centre’s proposal for mandatory registration of pharmacists before issuance of drug licences.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare issued a notification on December 28, 2016, stating draft rules to amend the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules 1945. The proposed amendments authorise registered pharmacists alone to run wholesale chemist shops and pharmaceutical distribution firms.

Earlier, a matriculate with 4 years of experience in pharmaceutical sales or a graduate with 1 year experience were considered competent.

The retail drug licence is issued to registered pharmacists in the state. Sources said there were nearly 6,000 pharmaceutical wholesalers in Haryana, while the number of retail chemists is more than double this number.

Mukesh Dhingra, president of the Haryana State Chemists and Druggists Association, said, “This will completely ruin the pharmaceutical trade not only in Haryana, but in the entire country. Already, hundreds of retailers are struggling to find registered pharmacists for hire. If the wholesale chemists are also asked to arrange registered pharmacists for their shops, many of them will have to close their businesses.”

Dhingra said the amendment was suitable for retail chemist shops because they gave medicines on prescription of doctors, but the wholesale chemists merely sell sealed drug packets to the registered pharmacists and not the end users.

RK Singla, State Drug Controller, said it was a draft notification and the government had invited claims and objections to the amendments.