KOCHI: The Kerala High Court has held that drug stores operating in the private and public sectors were bound to follow provisions of the respective Acts and rules & regulations. “The rules clearly stipulate that no persons other than registered pharmacists shall compound, prepare, mix, dispense or supply medicines. The rules also state that dispensing medicines without prescription of a registered medical practitioner would amount to professional misconduct,” said the court.
The court issued the order on a petition filed by the Kerala Pharmacists Organisation, alleging that medicines were often dispensed by persons not qualified as per the Pharmacy Act-1948, Drugs and Cosmetics Act-1940 and the Pharmacy Practice Regulations-2015.
According to the petitioner, the government has not been taking any step to check the illegalities in medicine dispensing
. The Kerala State Pharmacy Council submitted that pharmacy inspectors were appointed in all districts for implementation of the Pharmacy Act and the Pharmacy Practice Regulations-2015.
“Pharmacy Inspectors conduct inspection at medical stores regularly,” it was submitted. The court ordered that strict action be taken against medical shops and drug dispensing units, if violation of the rules is detected.