Health Department Drug Bill Annoys TN Chemists Association

CHENNAI: As the draft new Drugs, Medical Devices and Cosmetics Bill has been proposed, the Association of Pharmacists and Chemists of Tamil Nadu has issued several recommendations to the Union Ministry of Health.

In a letter to the ministry, the panel pointed out that for years the percentage of people being prosecuted for selling substandard, fake and adulterated drugs in the commercial sector was low.

There is no need to punish wholesale and retail licenses for not keeping records, not maintaining registrars, which has not been detrimental to the public.

“All retail and wholesale licensees buy and sell drugs with proper invoices. If there is no mistake on their part, they should not be included in the lawsuit for stockpiling and selling these drugs,” urged Srinivasan Ramachandran, former president of TN Chemists & Druggists Association .

He pointed out that the new bill encourages multinationals and corporations to gobble up Indian small and medium enterprises and petty traders. “The new bill provides for heavy penalties and jail time that are not affordable for small businesses and therefore will be knocked out of the field.

Heavy penalties should be removed from the proposals,” Srinivasan said.