Nithya Subramanian

New Delhi , Feb. 5

TO rescue millions of patients suffering due to the shortage of psychotropic drugs, the Health Ministry has written to the Finance Ministry, asking it to go slow on nabbing pharmacists stocking these life-saving medicines.

Highly placed sources in the Ministry said, "The Finance Ministry is not aware of the importance of these drugs to psychiatric and cancer patients, many of whom are dependent on them. We have asked it to direct the Narcotics Control Bureau to stop raiding pharma retailers aggressively. It is the retailers being worried about stocking these drugs that has led to a short supply. We hope that the Finance Ministry will take corrective action." However, the sources said that so far, no assurances have been received from North Block.

The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 was promulgated to prevent abuse of medicines containing these substances and stop illegal sale. Under this, pharmacists can be jailed for 90 days without bail. With the department cracking the whip, drugs such as alprax, sobrium and calmpose are expected to become unavailable.

According to Mr J. S. Shinde, General Secretary of the All-India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists , the trade associations are demanding amendments to rules to protect retailers.

In fact, an amendment to the rules was proposed in 1986 to keep pharma retailers out of the ambit of the law.

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