COIMBATORE:Confusion prevailed in Coimbatore over the sale of Tamilflu pills prescribed for H1N1. While health officials confirm that no instruction was given to sell Tamiflu tablets (oseltamivir) directly to the public, distributors claimed they were given nod to sell the pill if the patient approached them with genuine doctors’ prescription.
According to the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945 Tamiflu comes under ‘Schedule X’ drug category and only dealers with 20-G licences could sell, stock, exhibit or distribute drugs specified in Schedule X by wholesale and only pharmacies/drug stores with 20-F licences could sell the same in retail on medical advice. But, wholesale drug distributors in the district have started to sell these tablets in retail based on prescription given by doctors.
A city-based distributor said patients from Pollachi and outskirts of Coimbatore approached them for the pills as there was a shortage in those areas. They had informed the State Drug Controller, Chennai before disselling the pills to the patients.