DCGI to include Schedule HX in Drugs and Cosmetics Act

NEW DELHI: The Union Health Ministry is leant to be reviewing the proposal of the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) regarding the inclusion of Schedule HX in the Drugs and Cosmetics Act (D&C Act). The Schedule HX is aiming to regulate the use of antibiotics in the country.

According to the proposal of DCGI, the inclusion Schedule HX will make it mandatory for the doctors and chemists to maintain prescriptions in order to prevent the abuse of antibiotics. Around 70 drugs including antibiotics will come under the purview of new Schedule HX. Anyone caught violating the prescription would be charged a fine of Rs 20000 or up to 2 years of imprisonment.

Gulam Nabi Azad, Union Health Minster, is believed to be not in support to the proposal, considering the fact that there is huge deficit of quality doctors in the country especially in the rural areas. He has also expressed that introduction of Schedule HX would affect the health patients living in rural areas as there has been short supply of antibiotics.