A subcommittee which would draft a mechanism to sale prescription drugs online says studying other countries online drug sales should also be involved in the part of the regulations for the same. The committee was formed by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI). Dr Harshdeep Kamble, Maharashtra Food & Drugs Administration Commissioner will lead the first meeting of the sub-committee which was planned in 2nd week of August.
Raghurama Bhandary, Karnataka drugs controller, the drugs controller from Delhi, Odhisha and Dr S Eswara Reddy, the joint drugs controller of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) are the other members of the committee. The online pharmacy topic was the top discussion in the 48th Drugs Consultative Committee (DCC) meeting concluded recently as the growing population of patients looking for easy and efficient access to drugs on time. A licensed retailer can only sale drugs on the prescription of the doctor as per the rules stated in Section 18 (c) of Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 to be read with Rule 65. A senior official said, “The safety of the patients will not be compromised and it is not acceptable to sell through online distribution without legal approval”.