Medical stores bandh total

Druggist demand not to reduce the trade margins on medicines

Medical shops in Kodagu and Chikmagalur districts remained closed on Friday, in response to the  nationwide bandh call given by All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) to protest against the ‘unjust’ policies of the government. The policies were detrimental to the interest of drug dealers.

Chikmagalur district Chemists and Druggist Association members submit a memorandum to Deputy Commissioner, not to reduce the trade margins on medicines in the forthcoming Drugs (Price Control) Order 2013. All the medical shops remained closed. The delegation was led by Association secretary Venkatesh Murthy.

Without medical shops, the patients were put to hardship. Ddrug stores in government and private hospitals were kept open on the strike day.

The main demands of the drug dealers include: not to reduce the trade margins on medicines in the forthcoming Drugs (Price Control) Order 2013, to resolve the long pending issue of shortage of pharmacists and suitably amend Rule 65 (15) (c) of Drugs and Cosmetic Rules to permit the partners/proprietor as a qualified person to dispense the medicines. They said as per provisions of Drugs and Cosmetic Act (Amendment) 2008, in case a medicine causes adverse reaction, a retailer would be the first person to be held accountable. The wholeseller and the distributor are placed at the second and third places in terms of fixing the responsibility. The manufacturer will be the last one to take the ownership. "We have demanded relief in the amendment which simply shields the manufacturer. We are just traders and have nothing to do with the quality aspect. We simply store medicines in the condition they are given to us,” they said.

The association also urged the government not to allow Foreign Direct Investments in distribution and retailing of medicines as there were over 25,000 employees in the State were dependent on drug distribution for a livelihood.

Association leaders Sunil, Ajay Kumar, Ravi Thippeswamy were present.

Madikeri

All the medical stores remained closed in Kodagu. As the givernment and private hospital medical shops remained open, the patients were running to the medical stores to avail the medicines.