The Drug Control Administration (DCA) in a statement here on Saturday said that it had conducted checks on online pharmacies and found several irregularities in the way drugs were being sold through online portals.
According to Director, DCA, Telangana, Akun Sabharwal, three online portals operated by Medplus, Apollo and Bookmeds Medicals have been issued notices and instructed to ‘stop forthwith the sale of all drugs, which amounts to the contravention of the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Rules, 1945’. “The Drugs & Cosmetics Act clearly mentions that any supply of drugs is to be made by the direct supervision of a registered pharmacist against the written prescription of a registered medical practitioner. Thus, online pharmacy practice stands on shaky legal ground,” a statement from Director, DCA said. The checks were carried out at the following online pharmacies to detect violations of Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Rules, 1945– Medplus Mart (www.medplusmart.com) , Apollo Pharmacy (www.apollopharmacy.in), Hetero Pharmacy (www.heteropharmacy.com), Snapdeal Online store (www.snapdeal.com), Bookmeds Medical (www.bookmeds.com), Healthkart.com (www.healthkart.com), BuyDrug (www.buydrug.in), Medstar (www.medstar.in), Morchemist (www.morchemist.com) The staff of DCA, appearing as customers, ordered Schedule H and H1 drugs (restricted drugs) without the prescription of a registered medical practitioner online and through telephone and the online pharmacies delivered the same.
