Health Ministry Issues Draft Rules On Sale Of Drugs By E-Pharmacy

With the online sale of medicine getting gaining popularity, the Union Health Ministry has issued draft rules on sale of drugs by e-pharmacy. The ministry has come out with the set of draft rules to amend the Drug and Cosmetics Rules, 1945.

As per the new draft rules, online pharmacies will need to register with the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) and obtain a trade licence, applicable across India, from any state government. 

The e-pharmacies are allowed to sell the medicines only against a prescription, a copy of which has to be maintained by them. However, the details of patient shall be kept confidential and shall not be disclosed to any person domestically or internationally.

The draft rules also prohibit the sale of narcotics, psychotropic drugs and tranquillizers by e-pharmacies.

Dr S Eswara Reddy, Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), said, “The work to regulate online pharmacies, or e-pharmacies, has been going on for the past two-three years. We had created a rough draft earlier and made it public for comments. In the final draft that has been Gazette notified, we have incorporated all relevant suggestions.”