Hydroxychloroquine now a Prescription Drug: Health Ministry gazette puts it in Schedule H1 of DCA

New Delhi: Soon after banning the export of the  Drug Hydroxychloroquine in light of the coronavirus, the government has now made the Drug into a prescription one to make sure that there is no panic buying of the drug leading to unnecessary shortages.

This means that the drug will no longer be available over the counter, and would be only available based on prescriptions.

Through a recent notification of the Gazette of India, The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has placed the drug Hydroxychloroquine under prescription drugs in order to  to restrict the sale of Drug Hydroxychloroquine which is used for the preparation of COVID-19 antidotes.

" Whereas, the Central Government is satisfied that the drug 'Hydroxychloroquine' is essential to meet the requirements of emergency arising due to pandemic COVID-19 and in the public interest, it is necessary and expedient to regulate and restrict the sale and distribution of the drug 'Hydroxychloroquine' and preparation based thereon for preventing their misuse, " the gazette notification stated 

"Now, therefore, in the exercise of the powers conferred by Section 26B of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 (23 of 1940), the Central Government hereby directs that sale by retail of any preparation containing the drug Hydroxychloroquine shall be in accordance with the conditions for the sale of drugs specified in Schedule H1 to the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945," the gazette notification added

This order shall come into force on the date of its publication in the Official Gazette that is 26,th March 2020.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that in order to ensure adequate supply of the drug Hydroxychloroquine which has been approved by the ICMR for prophylactic treatment of COVID-19 in certain cases

Read also: BAN on export of anti-malarial drug hydroxycloroquine with immediate effect: Govt

For the full details click on the link mentioned below:

https://business.medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/pdf_upload-125966.pdf