The Kamble Committee on online pharmacy has recommended to the Union health ministry to exclude certain categories of drugs such as the narcotic and psychotropic drugs, tranquilizers, habit forming drugs and Schedule X drugs that are prone to being abused or misused from sale through e-pharmacies in the country.

The Committee, which had submitted its recommendations to the government recently, has also asked the ministry to create a National Portal to act as the nodal platform for transacting and monitoring online sale of drugs in the country. Besides, it has also recommended for the necessity of evolving a mechanism to register e-pharmacies.

In its recommendation, the Committee also recommended that there should be some geographical restrictions for operation of e-pharmacies, besides a mechanism for verification of authenticity through a link to the National Portal. Existing licensees carrying out retail sale of drugs would also be able to register on the National Portal for carrying out online sale of drugs, it further recommended to the government. The Kamble Committee also recommended for the requirement of registration of online pharmacies with CDSCO under the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945.

Earlier in August last year, the Drugs Consultative Committee (DCC), a statutory body under Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, in its 48th meeting held on July 24, 2015, examined the issue of sale of medicines over internet and after deliberations, constituted a subcommittee under the chairmanship of Dr Harshadeep Kamble, commissioner, FDA, Maharashtra, to examine issue of such sales via internet, its impact on public health and also look into the provisions of Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Rules, 1945.

The Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945 inter alia regulate the sale and distribution of drugs in the country. The Rules do not distinguish between the conventional and over the internet sale/distribution of drugs. However, the provisions of the aforementioned rules have to be complied in both cases.