'Last & final opportunity': HC grants Health Ministry 4 months to frame policy on online sale of medicines
PTC News Desk: Delhi High Court has granted the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare time of four months to frame the policy on the online sale of medicines.
A bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet PS Arora made it clear that "if the draft policy is not prepared by the next date of hearing, this court will have no choice but to proceed with the matter."
Hearing multiple petitions seeking a ban on the "illegal" sale of drugs online and challenging the ministry's draft rules to further amend the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, the High Court scheduled a hearing on July 8. It had previously asked the Centre to submit a status report on the petitions.
The petitioner, South Chemists and Distributors Association, has challenged the August 2018 notification, claiming that the draft rules are being pushed through in "serious violation" of the law, ignoring the health risks associated with the unregulated sale of medicines online.
Petitioner Zaheer Ahmed has filed a contempt motion against e-pharmacies for continuing to sell drugs online despite a high court order prohibiting such activity.
On December 12, 2018, the high court stayed the sale of drugs without a licence by online pharmacies while hearing Ahmed's PIL.
The petition also sought contempt proceedings against the central government for allegedly failing to take action against the defaulting e-pharmacies.
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