Medical store owners across the State will not be able to sell 46 drugs without prescription of doctors from March 1. Department of Food and Drug Administration of Haryana has directed the chemists to follow the lawful procedure before selling drugs to the customers otherwise they may have to face the music under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.

As per the department’s instructions, now the chemists will have to maintain the record of drug supply in a separate register along with mentioning the name and address of prescriber and patient, besides quantity of the drug sold to the customers.

These medicines have recently figured in Schedule-H 1 of the Act which regulates the import, manufacture, distribution and sale of drugs and cosmetics. 

Amandeep Chauhan, Drug Control Officer (DCO), informed that 46 drugs, including 24 antibiotics have side-effects on human body hence the doctors suggest a fix dose as per the patients’ condition because extra amount of these drugs are harmful to the body’s

immune system.  

“Full record of prescribers, patients and the drug quantity will be maintained by the chemists in writing for next three years and they will be bound to show the record during the inspection carried out by officials of drug and food department,” said Chauhan, adding that the department had released the list of these drugs to apprise the chemists about it. 

Stern action would be taken against those found to be selling drugs without prescription and not maintaining the full record with regard. license of the chemists may also be cancelled on gross violation of the instructions, said the DCO.

“The action is being taken following the notification of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare which has recently made some vital amendment in the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules. The new guidelines will be implemented from March 1 next,” said Chauhan.