Last Updated on December 31, 2023 by The Health Master
OPPI, IPA and FICCI organized a webinar on proposed over the counter (OTC) drugs regulations. KG Ananthkrishnan, Director General of OPPI and Praveen Mittal, Senior director, FICCI set the context for the meeting. Nitika Garg, Director Research, OPPI moderated the discussions. G Satya Narayan and Arun Mishra appraised the gathering with an update of the previous discussions.
Narender Ahooja, State Drugs Controller (SDC), Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) Haryana who is Chairman Subcommittee on OTC Regulations as Constituted by Drugs Consultative Committee discussed this issue with all stakeholders. Amit Duggal, Senior Drugs Control Officer, Chandigarh also attended the webinar.
OTC Drugs can be sold to customers without prescription of a Registered Medical Practitioner through Licensed Chemist Shop.
View points of all stakeholders taken and discussed. Ahooja SDC Haryana discussed at length why these OTC regulations are required.
These OTC Drugs Regulations are required for following reasons:
- To reduce the treatment cost
- To eliminate the problem of Unregistered Medical Practitioners who are neither having qualification as required under Rule 2 (ee) of Drug Rules nor having qualification as prescribed under Indian Medical Council Act 1956 and Central Council of Indian Medicine Act 1970
- To provide primary health care facility to all at Door Step up to village level.
- To empower Registered Pharmacists and to provide legal base to Pharmacists to perform their duties under Pharmacy Act 1948 as provided under chapter II Code of Pharmacy Ethics
- To eradicate the problem of irresponsible self medication.
Narender Ahooja SDC Haryana and Amit Duggal stressed for need of OTC drugs Regulations and informed the stake holders that 57th and 58th Drug Consultative Committee (DCC) discussed this matter and proposal is being forwarded to Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) the recommendations of OTC Subcommittee. Milind Thatte concluded the meeting with a thank you note to the government authorities.
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