Maha FDA To Take Action Against Wholesalers Supplying Allopathic Drugs To Homeopaths

Mumbai, 3 June 2019: The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is devising an action plan to take action against wholesalers who supply allopathic drugs to bogus physicians and homeopathic doctors.

It is also observed that homeopathic doctors used to sit at pharmacy outlets for consultations to fulfill their mutual vested interests. Homeopathy practitioners, other than dispensing their medicines to their patients, also started selling them over the counter. 

According to Maharashtra FDA Commissioner Dr Pallavi Darade, “If any fake doctor stocks or keeps allopathic medicines for sale, without any valid drug selling licenses, legal action under the provisions of Drugs and Cosmetics (D&C) Act will be taken.”

If huge quantity of allopathic drugs are stocked for sale or distribution by homeopathic doctors without any valid drug selling licenses, legal action under the provisions of D&C Act will be taken. Also, on investigation or inspection if the wholesaler is found supplying allopathic medicines to the homoeopathic doctors, action will be taken under the provisions of D&C Act, Dr Darade added. 

This comes close on the heels of new rules which were drafted following complaints that commercial interests were influencing the behaviour of homeopaths. According to the new rules, homeopathy doctors will soon be barred from selling medicines from the premises they are practising in.

Chemist shop is a commercial entity and the objective of this rule is to ensure that doctors only prescribe and not sell medicines. According to one of the draft rules, chemists selling allopathic medicines will also be allowed to sell homeopathic medicines without the need to have a separate licence, as required now.

The proposed rules also aim to weed out unqualified people from dispensing homeopathic medicines.

A person eligible to practice medicine with prescriptive rights should hold a degree in homeopathy from a recognized university or a degree in pharmacy from a recognized university or a bachelor’s degree with one year of experience in dealing with homeopathic medicines in the clinic of a registered homeopathic medical practitioner or with the holder of a licence in Form 20C or Form 20D (applications for retail are made under these forms) or diploma in homeopathic pharmacy or diploma in homeopathy and surgery.

Homoeopathic medicines are covered under the provisions of Drugs and Cosmetic Act, 1940. The new draft rules which were discussed in detail by the sub committee of DTAB before they were sent to law ministry for vetting will be notified by the ministry of health and family welfare.

To promote homeopathy, the new rules also do away with the need for a licence for exhibiting homeopathic drugs for promotional activities in any fair.

The manufacturers will also have to adhere to requirements of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) for obtaining a licence for manufacturing, which will remain valid for five years. Pharmabiz