Drugs dept to ask chemists to stamp prescriptions

Concerned over the easy availability of sleeping pills, officials from the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) said that they will hold a workshop on May 9 for chemists to regulate the sale of these drugs.

Concerned over the easy availability of sleeping pills, officials from the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) said that they will hold a workshop on May 9 for chemists to regulate the sale of these drugs.

HT Image

The officials will inform chemists to put a stamp on prescriptions after issuing a drug. Though an old norm to ensure that the same prescription is not shown to other chemists to purchase the drugs once again, chemists across the city said that the rule is hardly followed.

“Frequent workshops and vigilance will ensure that these norms are strictly practised,” said PR Uttarwar, joint commissioner, FDA.

As per FDA norms, after a chemist issues a drug, he or she should put a stamp on the prescription containing the name of the store. He should mention the bill number and bill date on the prescription too. License of a chemist can be suspended for flouting norms.

“There are several instances where chemists do not bother to put a stamp on the prescription. I have personally complained four times in the past to the FDA but no action was taken,” said DM Palan president of the Retail Drug Chemists’ Association.

He believes that hardly 30 % of the chemists in the city follow the norm.

Ravikant Patil, president of Chemists’ Association of Thane District also admitted that the rule was not practised by most chemists.