Dubious pharmacies continue to flout norms; pose health hazard in Assam

OUR BUREAU

GUWAHATI/KALAIGAON: Pharmacies that flout the rules and regulations of the Pharmacy Act, 1948 are mushrooming in the remote and rural areas of Assam. This is a red flag in the health sector of the State. Although the government keeps taking up drives against dubious and fake pharmacies, these steps have not yielded the desired results.

According to sources, dubious and fake pharmacies are thriving in areas like Howly, Mandiya, Bohori in the Barpeta district and Lahorighat, Bhuragaon and Mayong in the Morigaon district, besides other places in Dhubri and Tamulpur districts. Last year, the State Health Department had cancelled the licenses of more than 200 pharmacies for not adhering to rules and regulations. Also, show-cause notices were issued to more than 400 pharmacies. Despite this, more and more fake pharmacies are popping up in the rural areas.

In Assam, the drug control authority issues Restricted Pharmacy Licence (RPL) to run retail drug stores in rural areas as there is a shortage of registered pharmacists in villages. These drug stores can only sell non-prescription drugs. But pharmacies in rural areas that are operating with RPL often sell prescription drugs also, which is against norms. Many pharmacy associations have time and again opposed issuing RPL. They have claimed that issuing RPL to unqualified persons would have a detrimental effect on the health sector in rural areas.

In the absence of a proper monitoring system by the health department, unqualified people are running pharmacies in many places across the State but according to rules, pharmacies must be run by registered pharmacists only. Such dubious pharmacies often sell spurious medicines to gullible villagers, thereby exposing them to health risks. These pharmacies also sell banned drugs. They sell medicines without providing cash memo to customers, which is another violation of rules. Moreover, they do not maintain records of the medicines that are kept and sold. As per rule, the name and registration number of the pharmacist running the pharmacy must be displayed prominently. But this is not done. Also, it has come to light that a registered pharmacist allows his name and registration number to be used by more than one phamacy.

Such violations of rules and norms continue and the health department has to tighten the noose around these dubious and fake pharmacies.

Meanwhile, the All Assam Restricted Premises Pharmacy Association has demanded the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to withdraw restriction for keeping some specific medicines like medicines for high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma etc. The Pharmacy Association submitted a memorandum to the Union Health Minister through the Deputy Commissioner of Udalguri on Monday and stated that the licenses were provided to educated unemployed youths on the basic of five years’ experience by the Assam Government as per the Drugs and Cosmetic Act, 1940 where the license holders are allowed to help the rural people by providing medicines.

But the license holders are facing problems due to restrictions after the Act was amended in 1995. The Pharmacy Association also urged the Union Minister to make arrangements to train the RPL holders so that they can provide health service in rural areas, to allow licensees to keep and sell all medicines prescribed by any doctor, and to allow transferring the license to nominees after the death of the license holder. They also urged the authority concerned to induct the RPL holders into various skill development schemes.

A copy of the memorandum was also submitted to the Drugs Controller General of India the same day through the Deputy Commissioner of the Udalguri district.

Also Read:  DCGI sends notice to e-pharmacies for selling drugs without licence

Also Watch: