Govt working on regulating web pharmacy: Sitharaman

The Health Ministry and Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) are working to see how the online sale of medicines can be regulated, Rajya Sabha was informed today.

The availability of essential medicines are also regularly reviewed by the Ministry and the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority and steps taken to keep their prices at affordable levels.

"These periodic reviews are done with all seriousness.

These reviews are being done aiming at ensuring that such drugs are made available and at affordable rates," Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said during Question Hour.

She was asked by members about the steps being taken by the government to regulate the sale of medicines on the internet.

Sitharaman said the Health Ministry and the drug regulator were looking at the issue of web pharmacy and working to see how the sector can be regulated.

She also said that steps are being taken to ensure that quality medicines are made available, both for Indians as well as for export purposes.

"Controlling spurious drugs is a very important thing," she said.

Maintaining that the Indian pharma industry had made a mark in the world for its quality medicines, she said it was imperative upon them to ensure that quality is maintained and their name not affected.

In reply to another question, the Minister gave details as per which in 2015, there were a total 102 product recalls by 15 Indian pharma companies which export drugs.

Sitharaman said CDSCO does not maintain information on drug recalls and such information is published periodically on the websites of the regulatory agencies of importing countries.