The Dr Harshadeep Kamble sub-committee, constituted by the Union health ministry to examine the issue of sale of medicines over internet under the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945, has extended the last date for making comments and suggestions by the stakeholders and the general public.

Now, the stakeholders including individuals, associations, trade bodies, companies, etc. can send their suggestions and comments till October 30, 2015.

Earlier, the sub-committee, which held its first meeting on September 7 under the chairmanship of Dr Kamble, commissioner, FDA Maharashtra, had decided to invite comments and suggestions from the stakeholders and had asked them to send their suggestions and comments before September 28, 2015.

The Dr Kamble headed sub-committee on online pharmacy was constituted by the Drugs Consultative Committee (DCC) of the health ministry, at its 48th meeting held on July 24, 2015. The DCC, a statutory body under Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, considered the issue of sale of medicines over internet by certain web portals.

After detailed deliberations, the DCC constituted a sub-committee under the chairmanship of Dr Kamble, to examine the issue. The sub-committee was asked to look into the provisions of Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Rules, 1945 and also examine the practices being followed in the developed countries, where such provisions are available, evaluate the risks and concerns related to such online sale via internet and its impact on public health.

Karnataka drugs controller Raghurama Bhandary, Odisha 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 are the other members of the sub-committee.