[e-drug] Non-prescription sale of antibiotics (3)

["Chandra Gulhati" <seeemgee@yahoo.co.uk>]

E-DRUG: Non-prescription sale of antibiotics (3)
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In India, there is a legal prohibition on the sale of all antibiotics since they are "Prescription only" medicines (called Schedule H drugs). However there is rampant sale of antibiotics without prescription. Very little is being done to stop the violation. Reasons for patients self-medication are many such as reluctance to consult costly doctors, lack of faith in many doctors (due to their well publicised nexus with drug companies leading to irrational prescriptions) and not to mention very close proximity of retail drug stores leading to unethical competition. Sometimes there are half a dozen drug stores wall-to-wall. Hence if a pharmacy store refuses to sell an antibiotic without prescription, the next door drug store will sell thus putting the ethical retail drug store to loss of business.

Dr. Chandra M. Gulhati
Editor, MIMS
Chandra Gulhati <seeemgee@yahoo.co.uk>