dna had first reported about the rampant internet pharmacy racket and its modus operandi, where prescription-based drugs were being illegally exported to foreign countries from Indian-based suppliers and courier services. Also
What rules should govern the sale of drugs online? The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) hopes to answer the question. It has formed a sub-committee to assess the feasibility of online sale of drugs.
dna had first reported about the rampant internet pharmacy racket and its modus operandi, where prescription-based drugs were being illegally exported to foreign countries from Indian-based suppliers and courier services. Also, multi-purpose websites like Snapdeal, amongst others, were allegedly involved in the illegal supply of drugs which should only be purchased through a doctor's prescription.
The sub-committee is chaired by Maharashtra Food & Drugs Administration (FDA) commissioner Dr Harshadeep Kamble. The other members are Karnataka drugs controller, along with the drugs controllers from Delhi, Odhisha and Joint Drugs Controller, CDSCO, Dr S Eswara Reddy.
FDA Maharashtra had investigated internet websites such as Snapdeal, Flipkart and Amazon, and served them with show-cause notices, asking them to comply with ethics while selling medicines online. A police case was also filed against Snapdeal for selling prescription drugs online in violation of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.
The sub-committee was formed after deliberations that ensued at the recently concluded 48th Drugs Consultative Committee meeting.
The sub-committee will look into the feasibility of online pharmacies for medicines, in the context of the current guidelines and regulations of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act & Rules.
"The sub-committee has been asked to view in detail the online sale of medicines. Currently, there are many companies engaged in online pharmacies across the country, in violation of the Drugs & Cosmetics Act. In view of this, the committee has been directed to suggest mechanisms/ guidelines for online pharmacy practice," said Dr Harshadeep Kamble, state FDA Commissioner.
Further, the sub-committee would also determine which medicines- over-the-counter drugs or prescription-only drugs- online pharmacies can be allowed to sell. Besides, it will also look into the various types of services, like for instance, the need to accept the scanned copy of prescriptions and digital signatures of the pharmacists among others.
The first meeting of the sub-committee for online pharmacy is likely to be held very soon, said Dr Kamble.
"In the wake of IT advancements and related mobile phone-based applications, it was felt that it is vital to have an in-depth assessment of online pharmacy practices. With growth of consumer goods and general commodities sold online, it is viewed that a medical drug is an essential and important item. Such a segment in the E-commerce space is critical to the growing patient population, who were looking for efficiency and convenience in access to medicines, in a timely manner," Kamble said.
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