Shop owners to sell only emergency medication

Chemist shop owners said on Friday they will sell only emergency medication during their proposed strike from October 16 to October 18.

Chemist shop owners said on Friday they will sell only emergency medication during their proposed strike from October 16 to October 18.

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Members of the Maharashtra State Chemist and Druggist Association (MSCDA) had a meeting with Mahesh Zagade, the commissioner of State Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Mehta said the meeting with Zagade was inconclusive and their strike will go ahead as planned. "We will sell only emergency medication," Mehta said. Zagade however, said, "The meeting will take place tomorrow."

Since the past four months, the FDA has been cracking down on chemist shops and checking their records, particularly those pertaining to medical abortion pills.

For non-maintenance of records, the FDA has filed 23 first information reports (FIR) in the state, of which six were filed in Mumbai.

"We want the FIRs to be withdrawn. The FDA is not checking doctors who stock medicines. As per the law, they are only allowed to stock emergency medicines. The law has not changed, but we are being victimised," said Hukumji Mehta, president, Mumbai Zone, MSCDA.