The Pharmaceutical Traders' Welfare Association of Bengal (PTAB) has demanded stern action against manufacturers indulging in direct business dealings with chain pharmacies in West Bengal and in other states where All India Chemists and Druggists Federation (AICDF) has strong footholds.

A resolution to this effect was passed in the annual general body meeting of the PTAB, the leading pharmaceutical trade body in the state, which is affiliated to AICDF.

The booming chain pharmacies are concentrating in urban areas by directly purchasing medicines from manufacturers ignoring the existing distributors. The operations of chain pharmacies are indeed alarming for chemists and druggists in respective areas, the resolution passed by PTAB said. The resolution exhorts the members of the Association to go for indefinite strike mobilizing support from other states where branches of AICDF are functioning.

The AGM of the association was held in Kolkata on August 5.

In another resolution, PTAB has criticized the bias attitude of the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), State Drugs Control Department and CDSCO for their partiality towards certain manufacturing companies regarding non-compliance of Para 18 of the drugs price control order. The meeting has strongly condemned NPPA for not taking proper actions against major players like Beacon Pharmaceuticals, USV Limited and Cadila Healthcare Limited for their alleged violations of the drug price order. The AGM has observed that the central authority has initiated only mild actions against Cipla, Ranbaxy, Mankind, Aventis and Sun Pharma for several breaches of laws.

In the general body, the traders association has taken strong decisions with regard to future plans. If the government agencies are not exercising their powers of punishment against he companies violating the law of the land, the association will call for nation-wide strike in order to paralyze the healthcare system of the country. Event then no concrete solution is derived, after completing all documentations, the organization will approach the court for justice, said Pranab Kumar Chakroborthi, general secretary of the Association.

The meeting discussed in depth the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA) and came to the conclusion that if the Act was implemented in the present form, it would cause problems to the pharma traders in various levels. It has suggested for awareness programme among its units comprising distributors and retail chemists.

The meeting has appreciated the efforts of the state government to start chemist outlets in government hospitals where medicines will be distributed at cheaper rates than the actual prices. The association has demanded a single window process for licensing and taxation.