Selling a strip of paracetamol or azithromycin to a buyer without a valid prescription will land medical shops in trouble.
The Tamil Nadu Drugs Control Department has taken action against five pharmacies in Coimbatore district in the last one week after they were found selling drugs to people without asking for the prescription.
S. Gurubharathi, Assistant Director of Drugs Control, Coimbatore zone, said that notices have been served on five pharmacies and further action on them was being followed up.
According to him, the department had issued strict instructions to pharmacies to curb over the counter (OTC) sale of drugs, especially antiviral drugs and antibiotics.
“The instructions were given by the department based on the information that people were getting drugs like paracetamol, azithromycin, doxycycline and ivermectin as OTC drugs. Taking such drugs without the prescription of a registered medical practitioner is dangerous. Self-medication will also have a huge impact on the fight against COVID-19, considering the current situation,” he said.
Based on inputs given by the Drugs Control Department, Coimbatore district administration instructed medical shops to sell drugs only if the buyer produces a valid prescription. Pharmacies have to collect the name, address, phone number of the patient and the details of the doctor who issued the prescription. They have to maintain the stock list of antibiotics, antiviral drugs and steroids.
The district administration also appealed to the public to seek treatment even in the case of mild fever and avoid self-medication.
“The Drugs Control Department collects the above details from pharmacies and submit the same to the district administration on a daily basis. The details are further shared with field level officers at the corporation, municipality, taluk, town panchayat and village panchayat levels for further monitoring of fever cases,” said Mr. Gurubharathi.
The official added that drug inspectors had already issued notices regarding the restrictions to all the pharmacies in the district and had asked them to display it for the view of customers.
There are more than 2,000 medical shops in the district and eight drug inspectors were overseeing the implementation of the new restrictions.
