Hyderabad: Nearly 70% of pharmacies in the city are allegedly allowing unregistered persons to dispense medicines instead of registered pharmacists, raising concerns over wrong interpretation of prescriptions, incorrect dosages and the unsafe sale of prescription drugs, according to official data from the drugs wing of Telangana Standards Authority for Food and Essential Drugs (TG-SAFE).The issue assumes significance amid concerns over rampant over-the-counter (OTC) sale of prescription medicines, including antibiotics, analgesics, antidiabetic and antihypertensive drugs. Officials said the practice could expose patients to medication errors, drug interactions and other serious health risks.Under the Pharmacy Act, 1948, no person other than a registered pharmacist can compound, prepare, mix or dispense medicines on a medical practitioner’s prescription. The Pharmacy Council of India has also mandated that prescription medicines have to be dispensed by or under the personal supervision of a registered pharmacist from a licensed premises.“In many pharmacies, customers come asking for medicines by name and expect them to be given immediately. The pharmacist’s role is not just to hand over a strip. They have to check the prescription, dosage, possible interactions and explain how the medicine should be taken. If an untrained person is doing this, even a small mistake can affect the patient. This is why every pharmacy must have a qualified and registered pharmacist present during all dispensing hours,” said a TG-SAFE official.Schedule H, H1 and X medicines (prescription-only drugs, including certain antibiotics, habit-forming medicines and other controlled drugs) can be sold only on the prescription of a registered medical practitioner, with stricter record-keeping requirements for certain drugs, as per the drugs and cosmetics rules. According to pharmacy associations, Hyderabad has approximately 7,500 pharmacy/medical-stores.Dr Srinivas G, member, Telangana Medical Council (TGMC) and ex-officio member, Telangana Pharmacy Council, highlighted that the presence of a registered pharmacist should not be treated as a mere licensing requirement but as an important patient-safety measure.“Even a small error in selecting a medicine, understanding the prescription or deciding the dosage can have serious consequences. A registered pharmacist should be physically present during dispensing hours and should personally ensure that prescription medicines are supplied correctly. Pharmacies should not become places where medicines are sold merely on demand without proper medical advice,” he said.Officials also flagged instances where pharmacies are allegedly associated with or facilitating the activities of unqualified persons practising medicine, which could lead to inappropriate drug selection, incorrect dosage, drug interactions and antimicrobial resistance.TG-SAFE is now planning to strengthen its digital records by linking details of pharmacists with their registration and qualification records. “This system is also expected to help authorities identify cases where the same pharmacist is shown as working at multiple establishments,” said the official.
