Delhi drug dept to train pharmacists to curb OTC sale of habit-forming drugs

Chemist associations across Delhi have been asked to nominate representatives to take part in the programme

New Delhi

On the training to curb sales of habit-forming drugs, the official said that they will inform chemists on dos and don’ts. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The Delhi drug control department is set to train pharmacists to curb over-the-counter sale of habit-forming drugs, and to strengthen measures to track and identify counterfeit medicines, officials aware of the development said, citing focus on pain relievers, such as codeine and tramadol, and anti-anxiety drugs, such as alprazolam, lorazepam, and clonazepam.

Chemist associations across Delhi have been asked to nominate representatives to take part in the programme, according to directives issued on Tuesday.

An official with the drug control department, who did not want to be named, said, “We are going to issue an order to all Delhi chemist associations inviting them to send their nominations. Following this, we will start conducting training. In one batch, we will train around 100 chemists. We are hoping to conduct this training in multiple rounds for all zones.”

“The basic identification of some drugs can be done based on their colour and packaging, and we will impart that information to the chemists. Further, many medicines have a QR code that can be used to track the authenticity. Additionally, we will open a communication channel for chemists to reach out to our officials,” the official said.

On the training to curb sales of habit-forming drugs, the official said that they will inform chemists on dos and don’ts. “We will inform them, for instance, not to sell such drugs without a prescription, to deny cash payments and online deliveries, and not to sell them to underage customers.”

The official added that heightened vigilance is necessary given the ongoing risks posed by habit-forming formulations and counterfeit drugs, which can undermine patient safety, erode public trust, and expose pharmacies to regulatory action.