The Maharashtra State Chemists & Druggists Association (MSCDA) has demanded an apology from the commissioner of Maharasahra FDA for harassing the retail chemists for dispensing the medicines to the patients on prescription issued by the homoeopathic, ayurvedic, Siddha, Unani, and electropath doctors. The association pointed out that the state regulatory body is targeting the trade bodies in the state rather than finding a way to address the real issue.

This reaction comes after the recent warning issued by the Maharashtra FDA restraining all the retailers and chemists from dispensing allopathic medicines from a prescriptions issued by the ASU doctors. The association pointed out that the state regulatory body have no right to harass the trade associations when it is a known fact that there are no sufficient MBBS doctors to cater to the needs of the rural as well as urban area which is forcing the doctor's from other stream to treat patients during emergency.

MSCDA stressed that by dispensing drugs on the prescription issued by the ASU doctors they are only making sure that the patients are not kept away from necessary medication during emergency. The law under the drugs and cosmetic (D&C) Act however states that allopathic medicines are to be dispensed only on the prescription of the doctors who are registered in the state registrar.

According to J S Shinde, president, MSCDA, “We are only doing our duty by dispensing medicines to the patients who need them. It is unethical to refrain a needy patient from buying medicine when he has a prescription with him. It is the duty of the FDA officials not ours to ensure that the ASU doctors do not prescribe allopathic drugs.”

The association pointed out that considering the shortage of MBBS doctors in the state especially in the remote areas, usually medicines are prescribed by the ASU doctors understanding the patients needs and urgency. In such a case it is not proper to stop a patient from buying medicine just because it is not prescribed by an allopathic doctor.

He stressed, “Here the main issue is lack of qualified doctors, therefore the focus should be on addressing this issue rather than avoiding it. Only direct approach will help in solving other problems arising out of it. To strengthen the process, we have demanded the government to urgently intervene in this matter by bringing in proper provisions so that issue of unavailability of qualified doctors is addressed.”

The association stressed that the FDA should focus their attention and energy in addressing key issues like this rather than just issuing such statements that is aimed at jeopardising the availability of drugs to the patients.

Protesting against the FDA's move, MSDCA has decided to observe a work to rule strategy wherein chemist shops will remain open only between 10 am to 6 pm from July 11 to 17. During this period no allopathy medicines prescribed by ASU doctors will be honoured. In fact the association stressed that no schedule drugs will also be dispensed across the counter to any patients without valid prescription.

The association warned that if the government does not help in resolving this matter by then, the association will be forced to go on a total bandh from July 18 to 20.