Hyderabad Pharmacies Continue OTC Sale of Cough Syrups Despite Central Ban

Several pharmacies and quick e-commerce platforms across Hyderabad, including in Khairatabad, Madhapur, Sanathnagar, and Rasoolpura, were found selling and delivering cough syrups over-the-counter without doctor prescriptions on Monday. This ongoing practice violates a Union Health Ministry ban implemented in June, which was designed to restrict the unsupervised sale of cough syrups due to global safety concerns.

During visits to multiple pharmacies in these localities on Monday, representatives behind the counters readily handed out cough syrup bottles to customers. The sellers neither requested doctor prescriptions nor enquired about symptoms.

Local pharmacists stated that implementing the restriction is highly challenging. K Suresh, a pharmacist in Khairatabad, explained that during the flu season, customers requesting syrups they have used before will simply walk into another pharmacy if pressed for a prescription. Mohd Hassan, a pharmacist in Sanathnagar, added that they do not always ask regular customers for prescriptions because they have known them for years and are aware of their medical history.

In June of this year, the central government amended the Drugs Rules, 1945, removing cough syrups from the list of medicines that could be sold over-the-counter. While cough tablets, lozenges, and pills can still be purchased freely, cough syrups now strictly require a valid doctor's prescription.

Medical experts have warned against the health risks of unsupervised syrup consumption. Dr. Sivaranjani Santosh, a pediatrician, stated that cough syrups should not be given to children under four years without a doctor's advice, warning that overdosing can cause breathing issues, abnormal heart rhythms, and coma. Additionally, Dr. Sree Bhushan Raju of NIMS pointed out that online platforms continue to dispense these medicines, sometimes relying on AI-generated or altered prescriptions that are difficult to verify.

In response, the Telangana Chemists and Druggists Association (TCDA) has sent out bilingual advisories instructing pharmacies to stop the practice. Krishna Kumar, treasurer of TCDA, noted that while codeine-based cough syrups are restricted, non-codeine syrups are still frequently sold OTC. Sridhar Gupta, president of the Hyderabad Chemist and Druggist Association, acknowledged that while large pharmacies might comply, enforcement remains a challenge in smaller localities.

An official from the Telangana Drugs Control Administration stated that regular inspections are underway to sensitize pharmacists. The administration has inspected around 500 pharmacies and issued nearly 150 show-cause notices for various violations, including dispensing prescription medicines without valid prescriptions.