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Discount boards on chemist shops unethical: FDA
The details of such chemist shops and registered pharmacists will be sent to the council for further action, the officials said
PUNE: Chemist shops displaying discount flex boards to attract patients are likely to face action from the Maharashtra State Pharmacy Council (MSPC) as it violates the ethics of the Pharmacy Practice Regulations 2015.
The details of such chemist shops and registered pharmacists will be sent to the council for further action, the officials said.
The state Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a letter on Monday to all regional offices instructing them to submit a report of chemist shops displaying discount boards to the pharmacy council.
“Any Registered pharmacist through the temptation of discount cannot attract consumers and if does is in violation of Pharmacy Practice Regulations 2015 and is unethical. It is a violation of chapter 07 and section 12.2 of the Pharmacy rules. During routine inspections of Drug stores, the Drug Inspector should record the violation in their inspection report. The details of such chemist shops and registered pharmacists should be sent to the MSPC for further action,” said Bhushan Patil, joint commissioner of the FDA, in a letter.
As per the officials, some chemist shops in the city are displaying discount rates and discount percentages of medicines outside their shops thereby creating chaos and confusion among the needy patients. The chemist shops should not display discount percentage flex boards outside their premises in the best interest of patient care and to avoid action, said the officials.
S V Pratapwar, Joint commissioner of FDA, Pune region said, the directions from the head office will be followed, and during the regular inspections such chemist shops will be identified.
“The report will be sent to the pharmacy council, and they will take further action. To avoid action, chemist shops should refrain from displaying discount flex boards outside premises in the best interest of the public,” he said.
Vivek Tapkir, vice president of Chemist Association Pune District (CAPD), said, the discount boards should not be displayed and chemists who have put up this should remove them.
“Looking at the profit margin and the deep discount offered by such drug stores raises questions over the quality of drugs. It is not possible to give heavy discounts on medicines and run the drug stores ethically. This gives rise to malpractices” he said.
