Pharmacist's body to launch nationwide protest against online drug sellers

New Delhi: The Federation of Indian Pharmacist's Organization (FIPO) has decided to launch a country wide protest against the government ignoring the vulnerability of the sale of medicines and pharmaceutical drugs through online.

Elaborating about the protest, president of FIPO Sadhu Ram said that different pharmacy groups that has membership around eight lakh across the country has already given its representation to the government stakeholders to enforce stringent norms on sale of life saving drugs, put a complete ban on the sale of pharmacy drugs through online and virtual mode.

"The government should wake up from its slumber. The sale of life savings drugs and other items are going online. People or patients are attracted by the lucrative discounts the online medicine services offers without realizing the dangers of it. This is not like buying apparels. Some of the online services also take back the medicine packets which are illegal and you never know later which patient is delivered the tampered packets," Sadhu said on the sidelines of celebrations of National Pharmacy Week at Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital.

On the occasion, Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) executive member Inder Singh Chauhan raised the issue regarding the draft notification of amendment of Drugs and Cosmetics Rule 1945 and urged the government to review in the interest of public and pharmacist.

"As a registered pharmacist can only mix, prepare and dispense the medicine. We will demonstrate on November 29 for strict enforcement and help save the pharmacy profession," Chauhan said. On the occasional, FIPO general secretary MS Arya, Delhi Drugs Control Department chief Atul Kumar Nasa and RML Medical Superintendent Meenakshi Bhardwaj were present.