Jharkhand Pharmacists Association Threatens Legal Action Over Drug Licensing Issue

Jharkhand’s pharmacists plan to oppose the state government’s decision to grant untrained individuals licenses to sell banned drugs.

JAMSHEDPUR – In a surprising move, the Jharkhand state government has drawn the ire of pharmacists across the state.

The All India Pharmacists Association is threatening to take the matter to the High Court if untrained rural drug dealers are given the right to sell banned drugs.

Shashi Bhushan Prasad, State President of the association, issued a statement on Thursday, saying that this decision was in direct violation of the Drug and Cosmetic Act 1940 and Rule 1945, which are uniform across India.

He revealed that the Chief Minister was giving licenses to open rural medicine shops in every panchayat of Jharkhand, even extending to licenses for selling banned drugs.

Prasad raised serious concerns about the potential harm to patients and questioned the awareness of the health department and the medicine department regarding these rules.

With the number of unemployed pharmacists in the state being already high and increasing further, he argued that giving license to untrained individuals was beyond comprehension.

In protest against this decision, the state committee of the All India Pharmacists Association plans to stage demonstrations across Jharkhand.

On Friday evening, they intend to burn effigies of the Chief Minister in all districts of the state.