Now, anti-malaria drug sale only on prescription

Sushmi.Dey@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:28.03.2020

The government has notified anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine under Schedule-H1, restricting its sale only based on prescription and making it mandatory for chemists to maintain records for such sales.

The move is aimed at stopping misuse of the drug which has now been allowed by the government for prophylactic use in high risk contacts of Covid-19 patients and healthcare workers treating such patients.

According to a gazette notification issued by the health ministry, the sale of the drug from now on should be in accordance with the conditions for sale of drugs as specified in Schedule H1 to the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945.

“The central government is satisfied that the drug ‘hydroxychloroquine’ is essential to meet the requirements of emergency arising due to pandemic Covid-19 and in the public interest, it is necessary and expedient to regulate and restrict the sale and distribution of the drug ‘hydroxychloroquine’ and preparation-based thereon for preventing their misuse,” the notification said.

The move comes in the wake of reports of panic buying of the drug by people to prevent chances of catching the infection, even as government has said its use should be restricted to the specified categories and on prescription as there can be side-effects.

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