The government plans to make the portal, which will be run by an autonomous body, self-sufficient.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has proposed that it will regulate the sale of medicines through all channels by asking the manufacturer, distributor, supplier, stockist and retailers to register their stocks on an e-portal to be started soon.
Additional Government Pleader, P Kakade, appearing for the State Food and Drug Administration, submitted a public notice issued by the Ministry, stating that it has received several representations to plug the gap in the sale of drugs, including online sales. Thus it proposed to start the e-portal.
As per the notice, new pharmacies and chemists, both online and retail, will have to register by paying nominal fees. The current ones will be given a period of two years to complete the transition. Shops and distributors in rural areas can post their stocks on the portal through a mobile app.
The government plans to make the portal, which will be run by an autonomous body, self-sufficient. For this a small transaction fee will be levied on all stake holders while uploading details, which would be either one per cent or a maximum of Rs 200.
The notice was submitted while hearing a Public Interest Litigation filed by a city-based college professor, Mayuri Patil, who moved the High Court after one of her students fell sick from abortion pills purchased online.
Patil, through her advocates Vallari Jathar and Dhariyasheel Sutar, argued that easy availability of such drugs should be banned. Under the Drugs and Cosmetic Act, Schedule H Drugs cannot be bought without a valid prescription, as their side effects could be dangerous. Yet, websites are making them easily available.
The notice has called for suggestions and objections from the public and other stake holders, with a view to ensure availability of the right drugs that meet the standards of quality to every person in need of medicine.
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