The Andhra Pradesh Chemists and Druggists Association, a body of chemists in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad and Renga Reddy district in Andhra Pradesh, has expressed concern over the implementation of Schedule HX.

Sources said that the government is planning to add Schedule HX to the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. As per the proposed Schedule HX norms, all the antibiotics will be routed only through government hospitals. The association said that it will result in the killing of community pharmacists across the country. The All India Association of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD), the apex body chemists in the country, has already expressed its opposition to the proposal. It is understood that the AIOCD is likely to call a Bhararat Bandh in June against the proposed Schedule HX.

“If the government implements Schedule HX, it can adversely affect the community pharmacists in the country. The government should either drop the idea of incorporating Schedule HX to the Drugs and Cosmetics Act or make some modifications to it,” Dr Ghisulal Jain, president, Andhra Pradesh Chemists and Druggists Association, told Pharmabiz.

Commenting on the recent ban of a number of drugs by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), he said that banning of drugs without giving time adversely affects lakhs of small retail pharmacists in the country. A particular drug should not be banned in the country on the basis that it is banned in the western countries as there are climatic and other differences between both the regions. Bioequivalence studies and researches should be carried out to testify the side effects of a particular drug in India. He urged the DCGI to coordinate with the Asian countries to find a solution to the issue as the countries in the Asian region experiences almost similar climatic conditions.
 
He said the practice of offering drugs at discount rate by pharmacy chains has an adverse effect on the retail chemists as it has forced them to offer drugs at discount rates. The association, with over 6000 members, has asked its members not to offer drugs at discount rates as it can adversely affects the pharmacists in the long run. He has also questioned the home delivery of drugs by the pharmacy chains. It has already taken up the issue of some companies selling drugs at the discount rate to the pharmacy chains with the respective companies.