Goa pharmacies Bandh on Wed, 14 Oct
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 10 October 2015 21:13 IST
Over 750 medical stores and pharmacies of Goa will be closed on 14 October, to join the nationwide Bandh in protest of central government’s move of regularising e-pharmacy.
Prasad Tamba, president of Chemists and Druggists Association Goa (CDAG), said all the medical stores of Goa would be shut down from midnight of 13 October till midnight of 14 October.
Stating that the Bandh notice has been given to the state government in advance, Tamba has also appealed to the patients to purchase their requirements in advance.
The Bandh has also been supported by Goa chapter of Indian Medical Association, the ace body of doctors in India.
“The online pharmacy has no public health benefits or implications; but is loaded with scope for misuse, drug abuse, dependence and adverse reactions. This will encourage patient to use one prescription repeatedly, which will ultimately cause serious effects on the health of the patients”, said Dr Prasad Netravalkar, president of Goa chapter of IMA.
Goa would thus join the nationwide protest of over eight lakh chemists and druggists, led by All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD).
“We also feel that to protect the interest of handful players, introduction of e-pharmacy will hamper the interest of eight lakh chemists and more than 80 lakh workers and their families”, said Tamba.
He alleged that online pharmacy business is presently going on illegally while government authorities are not taking any action in spite of complaints made by the association.
“Internet online pharmacies are supplying all the goods like I-pill, MTP kits, anti-depressants, Habit forming drugs, cough syrups containing codeine, sexual stimulants etc without confirming the authenticity of prescription and patient”, he said.
The Association has highlighted following issues in this regard:
1) Illegal sale of medicines in the present provision of Drugs & Cosmetics Act 1940 and Rules 1945.
2) Authenticity of prescriptions sent to the online pharmacies.
3) Increase risk of adverse drug reaction (ADR).
4) Easy opening to entry of low quality, misbranded and spurious medicines.
5) Big threat of irrational use of medicines.
6) Big threat – of Drug addiction in youth due to easy availability through internet.
7) Economical set back to 8 lac chemists and more than 80 lac workers and their families.
8) Impact on availability of medicine in rural India.
9) Lack of infrastructure & manpower.
10) Doctor-Patient-Pharmacist cord will be broken.
11) These online Pharmacies may promote substitution of the drugs.
12) Storage of medicines, while in transit, can be affected.
