Online pharmacy laws in India are still in nascent stage and there are no dedicated online pharmacy laws in India. The Information Technology Act 2000 governs some of the legal issues pertaining to online dealings but it is silent on the aspect of online pharmacy. As a result, illegal online pharmacies have been increasing in India. [1] It has been said that, if properly regulated, online pharmacies in India could prove beneficial to various stakeholders. [2]
The Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, and the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945, have guidelines on the sale of Schedule H and Schedule X drugs. These can be sold only on prescription and there are specific rules, including for labeling. As of 2013 [update] most of the online pharmacies in India were not complying with the laws of India or of other jurisdictions, and faced regulatory sanctions. [3] Media reports claim that some online pharmacies are controlled by organized criminal networks. [4]
The anti-narcotics cell (ANC) of India has witnessed widespread addiction and rampant sale of a new chemical drug, MD (chemical "mephedrone"), that can be bought online from online pharmacies without restriction. In 2014 ANC was expecting an amendment in the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPSA) of 1985 to tackle this nuisance. [5]
Patients would be able to book online a bed in All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) very soon. [6] The King George's Medical University (KGMU) of India was preparing an inventory of all generic medicines available across the country, later to be uploaded on the patient information management system; prescriptions would also be issued online, and medicines not in the inventory will not be accepted by the system. [7] India is also promoting the traditional medicines and practices of Ayurveda, yoga, naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and homeopathy. A telemedicine application has been launched that connects patients in remote clinics with the doctors in tertiary hospitals via a video conference, launched through BlackBerry Messenger. The doctor then performs live face-to-face consultation for the patient by means of a video session. [8]
Indian medicines are exported, and the United States has taken a tough stand against Indian medicines supplied through online pharmacies. In 2014, the U.S. FDA, in partnership with other federal and international agencies, took action against websites, some based in India, that were selling drugs to U.S. consumers against U.S. laws. [9]
The IIPA now renamed as DHP is a consortium of entrepreneurs in the Online Pharmacy and Health Space. The first IIPA meeting was convened in Bangalore with a Common Minimum Compliance Model that online pharmacies in India have to follow to be part of this consortium. [10]
The IIPA Secratry, Kiran Divakaran had put out an interview [11] which said that the member pharmacies will self regulate until the law of the land catches up to advancements in technology with the following conditions [12]
The IIPA also is working actively with the Central Government to bring in changes to the regulations including the use of AADHAAR [13] Number linked prescriptions to ensure there is no misuse [14]
The Union Health Ministry of India has come out with draft rules on sale of drugs by online / e-pharmacies with an aim to regulate online sale of medicines across India and provide patients access to genuine drugs from authentic online portals. The draft rules on "sale of drugs by e-pharmacy" states the following points [15]
a. No person will distribute or sell, stock, exhibit or offer for sale of drugs through e-pharmacy portal unless registered.
b. Any person who intends to conduct the business of e-pharmacy shall apply for the grant of registration to the Central Licensing Authority in Form 18 (AA) through the online portal of the Central Government.
c. The application of registration of e-pharmacy will have to be accompanied by a sum of INR Rs. 50,000 while asserting that an e-pharmacy registration holder will have to comply with provisions of Information Technology Act, 2000 (21 of 2000).
d. The details of the patient shall be kept confidential and not be disclosed to any person other than the central government or the state government concerned, as the case may be.
e. The supply of any drug shall be made against a cash or credit memo generated through the e-pharmacy portal and such memos shall be maintained by the e-pharmacy registration holder as a record.
f. New e-pharmacies have to be registered with the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), India's apex drug regulator and central licensing authority.
g. E-pharmacies have to take only one license in any state and can sell drugs all over the country even if they have one license.
h. The sale of tranquilizers, psychotropic drugs, narcotics and habit-forming drugs have been prohibited through e-pharmacies portals.
i. The premises of e-pharmacy shall be inspected, every 2 years by a team of officers authorized by the Central Licensing Authority, with or without the experts in the relevant field or the officers authorised by the concerned State Licensing Authority.
j. The registration issued to any person for e-pharmacy will remain valid for a period of 3 years from the date of its issuance and a renewal of registration will have to be done in case it wants to continue.
k. No e-pharmacy shall advertise any drug on radio or television or internet or print or any other media for any purpose.
l. The e-pharmacies portals are mandatory required to have at least 12 Hours and all seven days a week customer support and grievance readdress of all stakeholders. The customer support should have a registered pharmacist in place to answer the queries of customers through such customer helpline.
The Controlled Substances Act (CSA) is the statute establishing federal U.S. drug policy under which the manufacture, importation, possession, use, and distribution of certain substances is regulated. It was passed by the 91st United States Congress as Title II of the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970 and signed into law by President Richard Nixon. The Act also served as the national implementing legislation for the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs.
Pseudoephedrine (PSE) is a sympathomimetic drug of the phenethylamine and amphetamine chemical classes. It may be used as a nasal/sinus decongestant, as a stimulant, or as a wakefulness-promoting agent in higher doses.
Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs are medicines sold directly to a consumer without a requirement for a prescription from a healthcare professional, as opposed to prescription drugs, which may be supplied only to consumers possessing a valid prescription. In many countries, OTC drugs are selected by a regulatory agency to ensure that they contain ingredients that are safe and effective when used without a physician's care. OTC drugs are usually regulated according to their active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) rather than final products. By regulating APIs instead of specific drug formulations, governments allow manufacturers the freedom to formulate ingredients, or combinations of ingredients, into proprietary mixtures.
Pharmacists, also known as chemists or druggists, are health professionals who deal with the preparation, properties, effects and proper use of medicines. Pharmacists provide pharmaceutical care to patients and promote public health by serving as health advisors and care providers in the community. Pharmacists undergo university or graduate-level education to understand the biochemical mechanisms and actions of drugs, drug uses, therapeutic roles, side effects, potential drug interactions, and monitoring parameters. This is mated to anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology. Pharmacists interpret and communicate this specialized knowledge to patients, physicians, and other health care providers.
A prescription drug is a pharmaceutical drug that legally requires a medical prescription to be dispensed. In contrast, over-the-counter drugs can be obtained without a prescription. The reason for this difference in substance control is the potential scope of misuse, from drug abuse to practicing medicine without a license and without sufficient education. Different jurisdictions have different definitions of what constitutes a prescription drug.
CVS Pharmacy, Inc. is an American retail corporation. A subsidiary of CVS Health, it is headquartered in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. It was also known as, and originally named, the Consumer Value Store and was founded in Lowell, Massachusetts, in 1963.
The regulation of therapeutic goods, defined as drugs and therapeutic devices, varies by jurisdiction. In some countries, such as the United States, they are regulated at the national level by a single agency. In other jurisdictions they are regulated at the state level, or at both state and national levels by various bodies, as in Australia.
Drug diversion is a medical and legal concept involving the transfer of any legally prescribed controlled substance from the individual for whom it was prescribed to another person for any illicit use. The definition varies slightly among different jurisdictions, but the transfer of a controlled substance alone usually does not constitute a diversion, since certain controlled substances that are prescribed to a child are intended to be administered by an adult, as directed by a medical professional. The term comes from the "diverting" of the drugs from their original licit medical purpose. In some jurisdictions, drug diversion programs are available to first time offenders of diversion drug laws, which "divert" offenders from the criminal justice system to a program of education and rehabilitation.
The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, commonly referred to as the NDPS Act, is an Act of the Parliament of India that prohibits a person the production/manufacturing/cultivation, possession, sale, purchasing, transport, storage, and/or consumption of any narcotic drug or psychotropic substance. The bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on 23 August 1985. It was passed by both the Houses of Parliament, received assent from then President Giani Zail Singh on 16 September 1985, and came into force on 14 November 1985. The NDPS Act has since been amended four times — in 1988, 2001, 2014 and 2021. The Act extends to the whole of India and it applies also to all Indian citizens outside India and to all persons on ships and aircraft registered in India.
An online pharmacy, internet pharmacy, or mail-order pharmacy is a pharmacy that operates over the Internet and sends orders to customers through mail, shipping companies, or online pharmacy web portal.
A drug is any chemical substance that causes a change in an organism's physiology or psychology when consumed. Drugs are typically distinguished from food and substances that provide nutritional support. Consumption of drugs can be via inhalation, injection, smoking, ingestion, absorption via a patch on the skin, suppository, or dissolution under the tongue.
Codeine is an opiate and prodrug of morphine used to treat pain, coughing, and diarrhea. It is found naturally in the sap of the opium poppy, Papaver somniferum. It is typically used to treat mild to moderate degrees of pain. Greater benefit may occur when combined with paracetamol (acetaminophen) or a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) such as aspirin or ibuprofen. Evidence does not support its use for acute cough suppression in children or adults. In Europe, it is not recommended as a cough medicine in those under 12 years of age. It is generally taken by mouth. It typically starts working after half an hour, with maximum effect at two hours. Its effects last for about four to six hours. Codeine exhibits abuse potential similar to other opioid medications.
A pharmacy is a retail shop which provides pharmaceutical drugs, among other products. At the pharmacy, a pharmacist oversees the fulfillment of medical prescriptions and is available to counsel patients about prescription and over-the-counter drugs or about healthcare and wellness issues. A typical pharmacy would be in the commercial area of a community. Mail-order dispensing is a recent development.
The National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws developed the Uniform State Narcotic Drug Act in 1934 due to the lack of restrictions in the Harrison Act of 1914. The Harrison Act was a revenue-producing act and, while it provided penalties for violations, it did not give authority to the states to exercise police power regarding either seizure of drugs used in illicit trade or punishment of those responsible.
The major drug laws of India are the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (1985) and the Prevention of Illicit Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (1988).
Drug policy of Slovakia is the legislative framework that governs all aspects of legal drugs and illegal drugs on the territory of Slovakia. It was established with the country's creation on 1 January 1993; the Slovak Republic taking over all commitments of the former Czechoslovakia. Both domestic and international law governs the manufacture, sale, transport and use of most drugs. Alcohol is the most used drug in Slovakia, featuring prominently in the Slovak culture. Slovakia consistently ranks among the top alcohol consuming countries in the world.
The Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1940 are the rules which the government of India established through the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. These rules classify drugs under given schedules and present guidelines for the storage, sale, display and prescription of each schedule.
The State Drugs and Medications Control Service is a national law enforcement agency of executive authority responsible for drafting state policy, legal regulation, control and monitoring in combating trafficking drugs, psychotropic substances, medications and their precursors. The Service is specially authorized to address and solve problems relating to traffic in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, and their precursors; the Service is also authorized to combat the illicit drug trafficking. Commonly was known as The Drugs Control Service.
Cannabis in Germany is legal for certain limited medical contexts, but illegal for recreational usage, though possession of minor amounts is not always prosecuted.
The Indonesian Food and Drug Authority or Badan POM/BPOM or Indonesian FDA, is a government agency of Indonesia, BPOM is responsible for protecting public health through the control and supervision of prescription and over-the-counter pharmaceutical drugs (medications), vaccines, biopharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, food safety, traditional medicine and cosmetics. The task and purposes of this agency is similar to USFDA.