TIRUCHY: Despite a Union government mandate, several pharmacies in Tiruchy are yet to display at their outlet the QR code for the public to report suspected adverse drug reactions (ADRs), raising concerns over enforcement gaps and patient safety.
A directive by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) in December 2025 and taking effect in Tamil Nadu from early this month requires all retail and wholesale pharmacies to prominently display an official QR code, along with a toll-free helpline number, which enables the public to directly report suspected adverse drug events (ADEs) and ADRs to the authorities concerned.
Scanning the QR code links the user to the Adverse Drug Reaction Monitoring System under the Pharmacovigilance Programme of India while the toll-free number, 1800-180-3024, offers an alternative reporting option.
A visit by TNIE to over 15 medical shops across Tiruchy city and nearby rural areas, however, found that more than half are yet to display the QR code. While compliance was noted in select outlets in areas such as Thillai Nagar, Puthur and Thenur, those running pharmacies in other parts of the city and several rural areas said they were unaware of the mandate.
Even a few branded retail pharmacy chains told TNIE that they had not received instructions on implementing the QR code system.
Chemists attributed the delay to the lack of awareness and inconsistent enforcement. "Many shop-level workers do not know about the order or its purpose. Unless inspectors insist during checks, it does not become a priority," said a pharmacist near Nochiyam.
P Kirubanandha Moorthy, president of the Tiruchy chapter of the Tamil Nadu Chemists and Druggists Association (TNCDA), said they have circulated the instruction to around 700 member outlets in the district, which has nearly 2,000 medical shops.
"The mechanism allows patients to report side effects directly, helping authorities trace the batch number, formulation and even prescribing patterns without patients having to argue with doctors or pharmacists," he said. While the QR code can be downloaded by pharmacists for display at their outlets, TNCDA has voluntarily supplied it to member outlets, officials said.
On the importance of the QR code, Dr Naurin Rehana, a Tiruchy-based doctor said, "If reporting tools are not visible at pharmacies--the first point of contact--adverse reactions will continue to be under-reported." When enquired, an assistant director of drugs control in Tiruchy said enforcement is being carried out in phases.
"We are sensitising pharmacy owners during routine inspections, though we do not print or distribute the QR code. Compliance will be reviewed," the official told TNIE, adding that they cannot impose penalties in the event of non-compliance.