The ministry of chemicals and fertilizers has sought more time to respond to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Petroleum and Chemicals recommendations to amend the Drugs and Cosmetics Act to enable non-pharmacy professionals to dispense the drugs across the country. The ministry was to place its response before the Parliamentary Affairs Ministry on January 17, 2003. The delay in submitting the response is known to have caused, after necessary comments in this regard was not available from the Ministry of Health.

This is the second time, the Ministry of C&F is preparing its note on the recommendations of the committee. The first response forwarded by the ministry after seeking opinions from the Health Ministry and the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Affairs, was rejected by the committee, which found it unsatisfactory.

The Ministry had in its earlier comments, opposed the move to dilute the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act after the Health Ministry pointed out the practical problems related with such a decision. The Department of Consumer Affairs had also informed that they neither have the expertise nor storage facility to take charge of dispensing medicines through public distribution system.

Despite the rejection of the comments by the Parliamentary Committee, the second note to be forwarded is to be framed on the same lines as Ministry of C & F has been given the same response by the Department of Consumer Affairs, it is learnt.

The Health Ministry is also known to be sticking on to its earlier stand. Responding to the comments of various ministries opposing the proposals of the committee, it had said, "the Government has not actually understood the intention of the Committee."

The committee response to the first response says that "from the analysis of both replies, the committee has a firm opinion that the essential provision of employing qualified registered Pharmacist to supervise the distribution/sale of drugs is the main hurdle in the way of enhancing the access of medicines particularly in the rural areas. The Committee, therefore, reiterates their recommendation and desire that the Government should understand the ground reality, analyse the hurdle in the way of easy accessibility of medicines and come out with concrete proposals."

The recommendation wanted the government to explore the possibilities of relaxing the provisions of Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Rules made there under so that the educated persons other than pharmacists could get better job opportunities to sell the medicines after some short training."

However, it should be ensured at the same time that the medicines made available to people through this mechanism are safe and conform to the prescribed standards. In committee's view this will serve the dual purpose. On one side more educated persons will get jobs and on the other side the medicines will reach maximum number of population. The Committee also desires that the Government should also identify the medicines, which could be sold without prescription of the doctors and without observing the formalities regarding storage and sale of drugs and medicines so that the drugs and pharmaceuticals may reach the common man through Public Distribution system or Sarvapriya Scheme. The quality control measures may also be changed accordingly," it said.

The entire pharmacist profession is responding sharply to the recommendations. The Pharmacy Council of India and Indian Pharmaceutical Association have already represented various ministries and also individual members of the Parliament trying to bring to light the perils of taking such a decision. The three ministries involved are also finding it impossible to come out with a better response than what they have already done.