Bengaluru: A Delhi-based health NGO has sought action against a city-based start-up for selling banned medicine without valid prescriptions through its e-pharma app. Posing as customers, they caught the startup red-handed.
The NGO, Swadesh Seva Santha, has been tracking the activities of Myra Medicine for the last few months and alleges the latter has been freely selling Schedule H and banned medicines in Karnataka.
"We spotted the gross violations of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act three months ago and emailed them immediately. They told us verbally that they will take action," said Rahul Singh, founder of Swadesh Seva Santha. However, no action was taken by the startup.
Myra Medicine, a startup based in Bengaluru, delivers medicines to customers’ doorsteps at a 15% discount. They were found to be delivering banned medicines like Corex and Schedule H medicines like Moxikind CV 625 MG, Jalra M 50/500 mg and Neurokind 500 MCG, the NGO pointed out.
"A valid prescription is a must, whether the sale happens online or off. These websites and apps cannot sideline the larger threat of antibiotic resistance caused by such unregulated sale of drugs," said Shenaz Syde, another activist with the NGO.
They then brought the matter to the notice of the Drug Controller of Karnataka. "The Drug Control office has assured us that strict action would be taken after they went through the evidence provided by us. A notice will be sent to Myra Medicines and after a hearing, their licence might get cancelled or suspended," Rahul said.
NGO posed as customers, caught sellers red-handed
In order to catch Myra red-handed, the NGO members placed various orders through their app. Myra promptly delivered all orders, which included banned medicines like Corex, Schedule H medicines such as Moxikind CV 625mg, Jalra M 50/500mg, Daonil 5mg and Nurokind 500 mcg among others without a valid prescription.
The copy of the complaint, shared with Deccan Chronicle, calls for strict action against Myra for delivering banned and psychotropic drugs without valid prescription across the State.
What the law says
Selling of such banned medicines and Schedule H drugs is a violation under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940, Drugs and Cosmetics Rules 1945, and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.
The NGO activist stated, “Long-term use of banned drugs like Corex can lead to serious kidney damage or constipation. These banned and psychotropic drugs are being sold in bulk to the youth, which has resulted in a high rise of drug abuse and antibiotic microbial resistance.”
