Notification issued by the MoHFW in order to regulate the doorstep delivery of drugs to consumers

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, on 26th March 2020 notified that retail sale of drugs to the doorstep of consumers is essential to meet the requirements of emergency arising due to pandemic COVID-19. Therefore, in order to regulate the sale and distribution of drugs for their delivery to customers, the following directions have been issued:

In case any person holding a license in Form-20 or Form-21 under the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945 intends to sell, stock or exhibit or offer for sale, or distribute drugs by retail, intends to sell any drug including the drugs specified in Schedule H except narcotics, psychotropics and controlled substances as defined in the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 and the drugs as specified in Schedule H1 & Schedule X to the said rules, by retail with doorstep delivery of the drug, the licensee can sell such drugs subject to the condition that:

Any such sale of a drug specified in Schedule H shall be based on receipt of prescription physically or through e-mail; The licensee shall submit an e-mail ID for registration with the licensing authority if prescriptions are to be received through email; The drugs shall be supplied at the doorstep of the patients located within the same revenue district where the licensee is located; In case of chronic diseases, the prescription shall be dispensed only if it is presented to the licensee within 30 days of its issue and in acute cases, the prescription shall be dispensed only if it is presented to licensee within 7 days of its issue; and The bill or cash memo shall be sent by the return email and records of all such transactions shall be maintained by the licensee.

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