The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has called for the constitution of a sub-committee to examine the issue of regulating the sale of drugs over internet under the Drugs and Cosmetic Rules 1945. The first meeting of the sub-committee will be held in a couple of weeks. The CDSCO has insisted that the committee would need to furnish its report on this in three months.

The composition of the subcommittee include commissioner of FDA Maharashtra Dr. Harshadeep Kamble, Karnataka drugs controller Raghurama Bhandary, Odhisha drugs controller H Mahapatra, CDCSO, assistant drugs controller Atul Kumar Nasa, FDA Goa director Salim A Velijee, Madhya Pradesh State Licensing Authority Pankaj Agarwal and CDSCO joint drugs controller Dr. Eshwara Reddy.

Further, it would also consider and recommend changes that will be required under the Drugs & Cosmetics Rules 1945 to ensure that the only legitimate sale of drugs is permitted through internet while taking care to safeguard required to plug the misuse.

The committee would examine the issue of drugs over internet known as e-pharmacies in the light of practices followed in this regard in the developed countries. It would also consider the concerns and risks involved in the sale of drugs over intent to the consumers.

Following the 48th meeting of the Drugs Consultative Committee held on July 24, 2015, to discuss matters arising out of the administration of the Drugs & Cosmetics Act 1940 and Rules thereunder in the country. During the course of the meeting, the issue of clandestine sale of medicines via internet by certain web portals was considered.

The DCC after deliberations recommended the formation of a sub-committee to look into the details of the sale of drugs via internet and suggest the ways and means of regulating such sales via the internet under the provisions of the D&C Act.

The first meeting is yet to be held and this will deliberate for a creation of a set of norms for online pharmacy, Karnataka drugs controller Raghurama Bhandary told Pharmabiz.