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Habit-forming anti-biotics, anti -TB and other such drugs like diazepam sleeping pills will not be freely available at chemists from March 1 next year, as government has notified a list of 46 such medicines to regulate their use.
They will no longer be over-the-counter drugs and will be sold only through a doctor's prescription. Chemists will have to record the names and addresses of prescriber and buyer of all such drugs in a separate register.
As per the notification, such records will have to be maintained for a period of three years and they will be open for inspection by the regulatory authority - the Drug and Controller General of India (DCGI).
Such drug formulations in Schedule H1 will also carry a symbol "Rx" printed in red colour on the top left-hand corner of the label, the notification, which is applicable from March 1m 2014, says.
The notification also says such drugs will carry a warning that they are habit-forming and can be dangerous and that they can be sold only through prescription by a registered medical practitioner.
Such a warning should be labelled in a box with red border and carry words - "It is dangerous to take this preparation except in accordance with the medical advice" and "Not to be sold by retail without the prescription of a registered medical practitioner."
Some such drugs are anti-TB while some are normal drugs used for sleeplessness.
The notification said preparations containing the above drug substances and their salts excluding those intended for topical or external use, except ophthalmic and ear or nose preparations, containing above substances are also covered by the new Schedule H1.
The same has been notified after the approval of the Drug Technical Advisory Board which is chaired by the Director General of Health Services.
