Chemists not to sell five life-saving drugs

Vishav Bharti

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 11

Facing the heat over curbs on the sale of habit-forming de-addiction drugs, chemists have decided to stop the sale of five life-saving medicines, including tramadol.

General secretary of the Chemist Association, Amritsar, Piyush Sharma has sent a communication to all members of the association and asked them to stop the sale of alprazolam, which is commonly used for the treatment of anxiety disorders; clonazepam, used to prevent and treat seizures; diazepam, used for treating a range of conditions, including anxiety and withdrawal symptoms; tramadol, a painkiller; and tapentadol.

“Looking at the present scenario and to avoid harassment, you are hereby advised to stop the sale and purchase of the habit-forming drugs and their derivatives,” he said in a letter to all chemists in Amritsar.

Psychiatrists have expressed concern over the development. Dr Rupinder Kapur, president, Association of Psychiatrists, said: “In a state grappling with opioid and alcohol dependence, stopping the sale of drugs meant for treatment instead of making essential drugs available on prescription is hazardous. It will lead to black marketeering and a spike in the illegal drug trade. It is the government’s job to provide affordable access to treatment. The chemists are taking a step backwards.”

Punjab’s food and drug administration has termed the association’s decision illegal. “In public interest, the government has developed a system for their sale. Anybody who follows the rules, can’t be harassed. The call is illegal because all these medicines fall in the category of life-saving drugs,” said Dr Sunil Mattoo, Punjab’s Drug Controller.

During the statewide inspection drive of private de-addiction centres last month, it was found that some centres were selling buprenorphine in bulk and were not keeping proper record of patients to whom these medicines were dispensed.

To check indiscriminate sale of these habit-forming medicines, even the health and police officials have been making surprise checks at chemist shops. But the chemist associations are opposing the same. Even the chemists across the state had called for a strike last month.

Psychiatrists stop using de-addiction medicines

Many private psychiatrists have stopped using de-addiction medicines for fear of prosecution.

The Association of Psychiatrists, in a letter sent to the Additional Chief Secretary, Health, has raised various issues, including allowing all psychiatrists to treat addicts. “In light of the fact that the government itself employs medical officers after a brief training period of five days only to dispense medicines in OOAT clinics, it is incomprehensible as to why the services of existing specialists are not utilised,” they said.

Association president Dr Rupinder Kapur said many psychiatrists had stopped using medicines for fear of prosecution and persecution due to an illogical and unscientific policy and regulatory hurdles.

What the rules say

• Under the Drug Policy-2017, the state government regulates the sale of six habit-forming drugs — tramadol, tapentadol, codeine, diphenoxylate, alprazolam and buprenorphine.
• The distributors and wholesalers should ensure to make supplies of these drugs formulations to the retailers strictly against the written orders only.
• The financial transactions regarding the trade of these drugs shouldn’t take place in cash.
• Manufacturing firms and distributors should ensure to supply a copy of invoice of sale to the office of Drug Controller.