The Hindu Business Line : Govt promises amendment — Freeze on psychotropic drug sale put off till February 25

THERE will be some reprieve for patients requiring psychotropic drugs, including epilepsy, sleeping or anxiety medicines. After a three-hour interaction between the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and pharma industry and trade associations, chemists and retailers have deferred till February 25 their decision to stop selling psychotropic medicines in the country.

The decision follows an assurance from the NCB that the trade's concerns regarding documentation of these drugs and their sales would be put forth to the Finance Ministry and suitable amendments would be made in the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS).

"Top officials of the NCB have assured us that they would recommend to the Finance Ministry to amend the NDPS Act and definite action on this would be taken in the next 10 days," said Mr J.S. Shinde of the All-India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists.

Mr Shinde had participated in the meeting along with more than 30 other representatives from the industry, including those from drug companies such as Ranbaxy, Sun Pharma, Torrent and US Vitamins. NCB's Deputy Director, Mr Rajeev Walia, besides other top NCB officials, also participated in the meeting in Mumbai. Similar meetings were held in the Capital, too.

The meetings come just in time, as medicine shortages were beginning to be reported from different parts of the country and retailers were set to intensify their stir from Thursday. Starting February, wholesalers had stopped purchasing psychotropic drugs from companies in protest against the raids being conducted by the NCB, against the abuse of these drugs. Chemists and retailers, too, had cleared their existing inventory of these drugs and refused to stock any more.

But with consumers being caught in the crossfire, intense political pressure was brought to bear on the different arms of the Government and a temporary solution has been achieved. How long it will hold will now depend on the Finance Ministry.

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