Govt plans to frame regulations for over-the-counter drugs to control abuse

Govt might ask chemists to stamp prescriptions to avoid misuse

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) plans to frame  regulations for non-prescription drugs, or over-the-counter (OTC) drugs. The drug safety controller plans to do this in order to make rules clearer on which drugs can be sold without a doctor’s prescription.

G N Singh, Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), told Business Standard, “Currently there can be misuse of high-risk drugs as there are no separate regulations. Names of drugs that cannot be sold over the counter are not there. At present, drugs classified as Schedule X, H, H1, G and K cannot be sold without a doctor’s prescription.” The