Pharmacists Insist on Selling Complete Strips of Tablets

Approach FDI Dept., vl help in such matters. more  

DEAR DINESH BABU,you are correct.So fix such business houses,can you please get guidance from the NATIONAL HELP LINE FOR THE CONSUMERS 1600 11 4000?You may also write to the editor of the TIMES OF INDIA for authenticating the the GOVT.directive on this issue .With regards B N DAS more  

All is true but now the question is how to make them to dispense only required quantity? Here the main problem is with their association which is in cunning activity of all such practises. They strictly control all the retailer to adopt the same wrong practice, one can find many such activities of this association. The only solution can be check on their activity and declare them illegal by government. more  

On the connected issue, it is often very difficult to read the name of the medecine on the strip because of dazzling packet. Can our think tank find a solution? more  

pl see here a report from Times of india If you approach medical shops in Hubli-Dharwad to buy one or two tablets, chances are that you will have to either buy a full strip of tablets or go back empty-handed. Most of the medical shops in the twin cities refuse to sell 1-2 tablets and insist on buying a strip of 10 tablets, thereby creating a lot of inconvenience to patients. This unethical practice by medical shops is especially affecting poor patients who cannot afford to buy all the tablets prescribed by doctors. This also means that cancer, cardiac, diabetic patients and others suffering from serious ailments will not get 1-2 tablets easily in case of emergency. Most of the life-saving drugs __ Aten 50, Losar 50, Tenoric, Amlodac, Cardace for BP patients, Gemer one, Glycomat GP1 and GP2 for diabetes, Salazar, Nucoxia, Mexate pain killers for arthritis problems, hydroxyurea for cancer patients, Happi XT 75 mg, Pantodac for acidity problems are being sold in strips. A patient suffering from psychiatric problem told `The Times of India' that medical shops refuse to give him two tablets as prescribed by the physician and he was asked to buy at least 10 tablets. Another patient Ramesh Kamble said he had severe acidity problem, but when he asked for one tablet at a pharmacy, he was asked to buy an entire strip. The "alleged" refusal of drug companies to replace the cut piece of expired medicines is said to be the reason for pharmacists not to sell them in loose. D H Kallimani, owner of HD Medicals, said that medical shops should sell even one tablet to save the lives of patients. No medical shop has been asked to sell only a strip of 10 tablets. Another owner of a medical shop here said: "If drug companies are ready replace our cut piece, we don't have any problem in selling one or two tablets." When contacted, Dr P N Biradar, health officer of Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation, said medical shops should not coerce anyone to buy more tablets and should give tablets as demanded by the patients. "Stern action will be taken against pharmacists if they continue to harass the customers by refusing to give 1-2 tablets," he added. more