The director of the drugs control department of Tamil Nadu has given strict warning to the distributors of pharmaceutical products of legal action for any violation of provisions of the drugs laws. He was initiating steps over allegations raised by the pharmacists community in the state.

The director has issued circular to all the zonal ADCs to look into the allegations raised by the Tamil Nadu Pharmacists Welfare Association (TNPWA) that the pharma traders’ body, TNCDA, is indirectly intercepting supply of medicines to the pharmacies of non-members of TNCDA. New medical shops which are presently opened in cities and villages by registered pharmacists usually do not take membership from the chemists and druggists body whose office-bearers are mostly non-pharmacists, but leading businessmen.

S Sivabalan, the director of state drugs control department said his office has given circular to all the 14 Assistant Drug Controllers to conduct enquiry of violation of law. He said those pharmacies which are offering deep discounts to the public will be safeguarded and there will not be any kind of interruption of supply to their stores. He further said the government is committed to provide quality medicines at affordable rates to the public as health of the people is the prime concern.

“The department cannot control any trade body or association, but we can interfere in the business activities of the licensed dealers. If a licence holder commits a mistake or violates a provision of the law, the department will take action against him. If any distributor is found deliberately ceases supply to a retailer without any reason, action will be taken against such trader. If public is getting good discount, it is a good sign”, he told Pharmabiz.

Meanwhile, TNPWA is up in arms against TNCDA again alleging that the latter is lodging complaints with the authorities against new medical shop owners, citing various anomalies, who are not members of the TN chemists & druggists association. Tamil Venden, president of TNPWA, said the chemists association does not allow a new pharmacy to be opened in a city or in a remote village unless the owner is a member of TNCDA. He said the traders’ body has become so unscrupulous after a state level leader became national officer-bearer of the all India trade body (AIOCD). The pharmacists association will lodge complains with the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), DoP, DCGI and the state government against the unethical trade practices of TNCDA.

While speaking to Pharmabiz, Venden said, “openly the TNCDA people are not giving any kind of instructions to the distributors, but indirectly, over telephone they threaten them saying that if they supply products to shops other than their members, no further order will be given to them by their members. Similarly, they want the wholesalers not to make any business contract with the newly emerging Discount Pharmacy Stores (DPS)”.

On behalf of the 65,000 registered pharmacists in the state, Tamil Venden has welcomed the immediate action taken by the director of the drugs control department. TNPWA will forward all the complaints it received from its members to the DC department. The association’s organizing secretary from Tanjore said he is preparing complaint against a Chennai based wholesale company which has stopped supply to a member of his association.