The Union Health Ministry has proposed mandatory CCTV surveillance at medical stores to prevent the unauthorised sale and access of certain prescription medicines without valid prescriptions.
The proposal is part of planned amendments to the Drugs Rules, 1945, aimed at strengthening regulatory oversight of Schedule H, H1 and X medicines at the retail level. The ministry issued a Draft Gazette Notification on September 8 and has invited feedback from stakeholders and members of the public before finalising the changes.
Schedule H medicines can be sold only on the prescription of a registered medical practitioner. Schedule H1 drugs come with additional documentation and record-keeping requirements. Schedule X medicines are subject to stricter controls and include certain psychotropic, narcotic and habit-forming substances.
Under the proposed changes, CCTV surveillance would provide regulators with an additional mechanism to monitor how these medicines are handled and sold at medical stores. The measure is intended to supplement existing safeguards and make it easier to check compliance with prescription and record-keeping rules.
The proposal was initially discussed by the Drugs Consultative Committee (DCC) before being circulated among members of the Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB). Following its deliberations, the DTAB recommended approval of the proposal.
The Health Ministry said the proposed surveillance system is expected to help curb unauthorised access to prescription medicines while improving transparency and accountability in their distribution. It would also strengthen monitoring at the point where these medicines are sold directly to consumers.
The proposed CCTV requirement is being considered as an additional regulatory safeguard rather than a replacement for existing rules governing prescription drugs.
The government has now opened the draft proposal for objections and suggestions. Feedback from stakeholders and members of the public will be considered before any amendments are finalised.
Comments and suggestions can be submitted to the Under Secretary (Drugs), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, or sent by email to the ministry's Drugs Division.
The proposal comes as part of the government's broader effort to strengthen controls over prescription medicines and ensure that drugs covered under stricter schedules are sold in accordance with existing legal requirements.
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