Bengaluru: Despite the recent Union govt notification making prescriptions mandatory for the sale of cough and cold syrups, many pharmacies in Bengaluru continue to dispense them over the counter with little scrutiny.A reality check by TOI across multiple neighbourhoods in the city found that pharmacists were largely unaware of, or were not enforcing, the new rule. In most cases, customers could buy cough syrups simply by describing their symptoms.At a pharmacy in Aditya Nagar, north Bengaluru, a pharmacist asked how long the patient had been coughing, before recommending a syrup and advising the dosage for three days. When asked if a doctor’s prescription was necessary, he said, “There is no need for it for cough syrup. It is only needed for antibiotics.”A similar situation played out at a pharmacy on New BEL Road. The pharmacist said prescriptions were required only for codeine-based cough syrups. “There are different classes of cough syrups and most of them can be dispensed without a prescription. These days there are many options in the market, including ayurvedic syrups,” he said.Pharmacies on Bannerghatta Road also readily sold cough syrups after asking basic questions about symptoms and age. One pharmacist additionally dispensed paracetamol tablets to two women who complained of fever. At a pharmacy on Residency Road, the pharmacist did not ask any questions and was willing to sell a bottle of cough syrup directly at its MRP of Rs 159.The findings come barely a month after the Union govt amended the Drugs Rules, 1945, removing the exemption previously available to syrups under Schedule K. The notification, which came into effect on June 16, requires syrup formulations, including cough and cold syrups, to be sold only against a valid medical prescription.On June 20, the Karnataka Food Safety and Drug Administration issued an advisory reiterating the rule and directing pharmacists to maintain records of the purchase and sale of such products.A senior FDA official said pharmacists have been instructed to comply with the amended provisions and dispense cough syrups only on prescriptions issued by registered medical practitioners. Enforcement drives are conducted regularly, and a special drive to check compliance with the new rule will be launched soon, the official added.
