The drug traders in Tamil Nadu are expected to approach the state health secretary soon with a set of guidelines to curb the mushrooming of retail chemist shops in the state. The state pharma trade put the entire blame for the proliferation of chemist shops on the TN drug controller as he failed to act despite repeated representations.

Speaking to Pharmabiz, N Anandan, general secretary of the Tamil Nadu Chemists and Druggists Association (TNCDA) said the burgeoning growth of retail outlets in both urban and rural areas, and resultant factors like competition induced price cuts, proliferation of chain of super markets with medical shops etc. in the last two three years have severely affected the fortunes of the traders.

In the last few years, new medical shops have been coming up at a rate of 100 to 200 every year, and the sanction has been granted to virtually almost all who fulfilled the basic criteria. This has caused concentration of medical shops in many urban areas, especially in and around hospitals and clinics. Ironically many rural areas in the state lack adequate medical shops. At present, the total number of shops in the state stands at more than 25,000, besides 7000 odd stockists.

He said TNCDA had approached the state DC's office with a plea to curb proliferation of shops, citing the Kerala drug control department's decision to not allow new retail outlets within a vicinity of at least 100 metres away from the existing chemist shops in the case of rural area and 50 metres in urban area.

Following this, the Tamil Nadu DC formed a committee about six months ago with members from the trade and senior drug control department officials to discuss the issue. However, in the initial meeting itself, the drug controller maintained that it is impossible to bring in the distance factor, as the decision may invite legal trouble if someone approaches the court challenging the decision. Since the Drugs and Cosmetic Act and rules are silent on restricting the medical shops, the DC has no choice other than to sanction any applications, which fulfill the basic criteria, maintained the DC, said Anandan.

He said in such a situation, the traders have no choice other than to approach the higher officials and ministers directly and represent their grievances, citing the efforts done by the nearby state drug departments to check proliferation of retail medical shops. TNDCA will soon voluntarily prepare a set of guidelines and plans to submit it to the state health secretary. Further, the association office bearers would meet other authorities in the State Government, said Anandan.

It may be noted that the Kerala drug controller brought in the distance factor, besides a set of Standard Operating Procedures effective with 1st January 2003 to curb the staggering growth of retail outlets in Kerala. The provisions in the SOPs included important decisions like no chemist shop can have branches in the state and no person can own more than one retail outlet as the proprietor though the proprietor can be a partner in other shop etc.

In a similar initiative, the Federation of Druggists and Chemists of Karnataka had recently submitted a 12-point proposal to the drugs control department to check concentration and cluster formation of drug stores in Karnataka. Their suggestions also included no branches should be allowed for medical shops, priority for registered pharmacists in issuing fresh licenses, no licenses for medical shops at basement or cellar shops, bring in space and area definitions, new retail outlets must be located 200 meters away from the existing drug stores in urban areas and 100 metres away in rural areas etc.