The Hindu Business Line : OTC drugs

This refers to the article "Govt wary of allowing grocery shops to hawk OTC drugs" (Business Line, June 12). It would be in the best interest of the Indian people if the government rejected the plea of the multinational pharma companies.

Many Indian consumers may not be competent enough, or concerned enough, to grasp the contents of the brochures available with the medicines. Moreover, most medicine packs do not contain such brochures these days.

Apart from this, retailers in the medicine distribution system would face a tough time, in case grocers are allowed to deal with over-the-counter-drugs (OTC) drugs.

At the same time, the government may well consider de-linking vitamin and calcium supplements and mild pain relievers from the drug list so that these may be distributed through grocery shops.

Here again, the government should be judicious in bringing about the proper legislation, sans any loopholes, so that spurious medications do not enter the market.

The OTC market should receive good attention from the government to the benefit of the consumers, who always suffer due to frequent price rise and non-availability of medicines.

C. P. Velayudhan Nair

Kochi

Letters to the editor and contributions can be sent by e-mail to: bleditor@thehindu.co.in

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