Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India (OPPI) has recommended the utilization of existing 1,57,000 post offices in the country for stepping up the access to medicines in the country.

OTC products can be supplied through post offices and should move beyond the chemist stores for increasing access to such medicines. OTC category is over regulated but is gradually getting liberalised, Ranjit Shahani, president, OPPI said.

The health delivery systems in India are missing which has made the medicines inaccessible. The Organisation has also been educating all the stakeholders on the emerging issues in the sector including the medical professionals. OPPI has been against unethical marketing practices and has taken stringent actions against those who involve in such practices, Shahani added.

OPPI is striving to increase the access to cancer, cardiovascular and HIV drugs. It has recommended direct supply of drugs to hospitals thus reducing transaction costs, Dr Ajit Dangi, director general, OPPI said.

When asked by this correspondent why OPPI has been strongly favouring Government's move to allow household remedies to be sold in grocery stores, Dr Dangi replied, the existing chemist stores in the country are not sufficient and have not spread into rural areas in several States.

Regulators may argue that it may allow spurious drugs supply through these grocery stores, but if pharmaceutical companies in India use anti-counterfeiting features for their products manufacture and supply of spurious drugs can be efficiently checked, he added.

Dr Dangi pointed, when the chemists and druggists in India can be allowed to sell grocery and confectionery products though they have license only as a pharmacy store, where does the question arises that grocery stores cannot sell household remedies.

OPPI today comprises of 75 members who are research oriented international and large Indian pharmaceutical companies. All the members of OPPI have to meet TRIPS compliance follow ethical sales practices and cGMP, Shahani stated.