The Maharashtra government will recommend the inclusion of the online sale of medicines under the orbit of Information Technology (IT) Act to the Centre, said food and drugs administration (FDA) minis
The Maharashtra government will recommend the inclusion of the online sale of medicines under the orbit of Information Technology (IT) Act to the Centre, said food and drugs administration (FDA) minister Girish Bapat in the state Legislative Council on Monday.
The central government has formed a sub-committee under Maharashtra FDA chief Dr Harsheep Kamble to prepare guidelines on the feasibility of online pharmacies. The state government will recommend that the online sale of medicines be included. The committee will submit its report within six months to the Centre, said Mr Bapat.
The issue was raised by Congress legislator Sudhir Tambe, who said online sale of medicines was being misused. “Despite the HC directing action against pharmaceutical companies for selling medicines online, the state government is not serious about the issue. Abortifacient pills and cancer drugs are being sold openly on these sites. It has been found that even college students are purchasing medicines on these portals, leading to their misuse,” he said.
Replying to him, the minister said the state had not allowed the online sale of medicines. “Even the Centre is also against the online sale of medicines, which is found to be misused. Depending on the recommendations of the Kamble committee, the Centre will enact a law in this regard,” he said. An inquiry was held against 51 online shopping portals and of them, action was taken against 21 portals, he added.
