Regulator gets complaints about sale of substandard drugs via e-platforms

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has received isolated complaints regarding unauthorised sale of controlled substances, substandard medicines and habit-forming drugs through online pharmacy platforms.

Minister of State (MoS) in Health and Family Welfare Dr Anupriya Patel said that the government had already published draft rules that contain provisions for registration, periodic inspection and monitoring of e-pharmacy, procedure for distribution or sale of drugs through e-pharmacy, prohibition of advertisement of drugs through e-pharmacy, complaint redressal mechanism and data privacy.

The minister said that the sale of narcotic and psychotropic substances, tranquilizers, habit-forming drugs and Schedule X medicines is strictly regulated. “Such drugs are required to be sold only against valid prescriptions by a registered medical practitioner and through duly licensed premises,” she stated.

At a CII event, CDSCO Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) Dr Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi highlighted the need for regulations in the digital health technology segment in India.

He cited the example of e-pharmacy where there is a threat of getting medicines without prescriptions. He said that the lopsided impact of selling antibiotics without prescription has led to anti-microbial resistance (a condition in which antibiotics have no impact on a body).

“Business houses have developed an interesting model. If one does not have a prescription, a doctor calls the person within 30 seconds and the patient gets a prescription. Where is the regulation? Here the whole concept is being driven by business without looking at the downside of selling antibiotics without prescription,” Raghuvanshi said.