Thousands of pharmacists in the country have asked the authorities to take immediate steps to amend the Drugs & Cosmetics Act to make cutting of strips of medicines not mandatory as strip cutting is a loss to the chemists as well as to the nation and there are a lot of shortcomings and dangers for the customers when chemists cut strips.

The pharmacists' demand in this regard comes in the wake of a circular issued by the drug authorities in Maharashtra asking the retail chemists in Mumbai through their Association, warning them that strip cutting is a must if the customer so desires.

In a letter sent to the Joint Commissioner (Greater Mumbai), FDA Maharashtra, the pharmacists have said that the Rule 65 quoted by the drug authorities in the circular making it compulsory to cut strips is irrelevant today as it was formulated much before strips actually came into existence in the country.

The pharmacists have said that strip cutting is a serious problem, which neither the lawmakers, nor the FDA officials, nor the pharmaceutical industry, nor doctors will understand. It is finally the customers and the retail pharmacist who have to face the brunt of losses, risk of consuming wrong or expired medicines, as well as conflicts with each other.

Describing the consequences of strip cutting, the pharmacists said that there are risks that chemists can push some expired tablets or even physician samples (without any batch details) along with genuine tablets. Expired strips & physician samples can be cut into appropriate pieces so as to dislodge the part carrying the batch details. This becomes even more convenient for blister packs, where the batch details are printed only on one side of the strip; consequently, the rest of the tablets can be sold long after their expiry.

Besides, when cut tablet strips are given to patients, often with no name behind, the patient may get mixed up if two similar looking (but different) drugs are packed in the same prescription. He may end up taking a double dose of one drug, and not take the other drug the first few days, and then take only the second drug for the rest of the days.

“Sudden orders form the FDA enforcing Maharashtra chemists to cut strips without doing a detail study of the matter, will only create unrest amongst the retailers. Such a sensitive issue needs deeper probe, analysis, views, hands on experience, and a neutral mind. The authorities need to give top priority to the safety of the health of the population, giving it more importance, than merely looking into monetary aspects. In the best interest of the public, as well as the retailers, it is strongly recommended that the concerned authorities seriously look into the matter, and after taking a opinion of a larger section of pharmacists, doctors, common man, NGOs working in health field, and the trade organizations, get into action, and frame new policies regarding pack sizes and overcome the problem of strip cutting,” the pharmacists said.