New Delhi: The Union government has decided to make CCTV surveillance mandatory in retail pharmacies, aiming to strengthen oversight of medicines that require a doctor’s prescription.
The move follows repeated complaints that habit-forming and potentially life-threatening drugs are being sold illegally without valid prescriptions. To address this, the Centre plans to amend the Drugs Rules, according to a statement from the Union health ministry.
Under the proposed rules, all prescription-based medicines dispensed at retail outlets must be handed over to customers within the live coverage area of CCTV cameras. Pharmacy owners will be required to securely store the recorded footage on computers or other storage devices for a minimum of three months.
Health department officials will be empowered to inspect these recordings whenever required. The ministry said the measure is intended to curb substance abuse among youth and minors and to improve transparency in drug distribution.
The requirement will apply only to pharmacies that sell medicines directly to the public, while wholesale distributors will be exempt. The government has invited public and pharmacy associations’ feedback and objections within 30 days, after which the amendment will be finalised and implemented nationwide.
