MHCA demands Govt to consult stakeholders before deciding to delicense some medicines

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMay 12, 2025

Meghalaya Health Care Association (MHCA) has demanded the government of India to consult all stakeholders including All India Organization of Chemists & Druggists (AIOCD) before taking any decision to delicense some medicines as OTC medicinal products.

In a statement, the MHCA said, “Due to intention of the government to make some medicines OTC the supply chain may also be hampered which may lead to total chaos. We the 12.5 lakhs member of AIOCD are facing lots of problem due to reduced sale because of online drugs, Jan Aushadhi and Dawa India, and if the government brings more medicine under OTC category our sale will be drasticaly reduced due to which we may not be able to run our business after maintaining a huge expense of house rent, staff salary, pharmacist salary and other expenses which will affect not only 12.5 lakh members but their families too.”

“In this regard, we the members ofAIODC request the government of India to kindly consult the stakeholders including AIOCD before taking any decision on the matter. 

Continuation of GSR 220 (E), issued during COVID for door delivery of medicines, which is also being misused by online firms is such a big threat,”it added.

Stating that medicinal products are very sensitive and has to be handled and stored in a proper way, the association said moreover, allopathic medicines which are basically synthetic chemical based have very high side effects because these chemicals are foreign bodies for our human body, for example, the most common and simple drug like paracetamol, which everybody is taking like a candy, has very high side effects if not used judiciously. Slight overdose may cause severe kidney and liver damages along with other problems. 

Another drug which is also very commonly sed, diclofenac, which comes in two forms, diclofenac potassium and diclofenac sodium for example, it may cause serious side effects if given interchangeably. Like in case of high blood pressure, diclofenac sodium will shoot blood pressure even more, whereas diclofenac potassium in case of low blood pressure reduces it even further. 

These two are simple examples that drugs need to be handle with proper case and under experience guidance. Similarly, all drugs which may be OTC but need to be taken care of by experience person, it added.