The Union Health Ministry has proposed making CCTV surveillance mandatory at licensed premises selling prescription drugs, as part of proposed amendments to the Drugs Rules, 1945.
“The draft does not merely propose CCTV for Schedule H, H1 and X medicines by name.
Its wording is broader — it covers any drug supplied on a registered medical practitioner’s prescription, except wholesale transactions,” said a senior health official.
The proposal follows deliberations by the Drugs Consultative Committee (DCC) and subsequent consideration by the Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB). The move is aimed at strengthening oversight of the sale of prescription medicines and providing a mechanism to verify transactions in cases of suspected unauthorised sale. Under the existing Drugs Rules, medicines covered by Schedules H, H1 and X cannot be sold at retail without a prescription from a registered medical practitioner, with additional record-keeping requirements for certain drugs.
The DCC had earlier recommended that CCTV cameras be made mandatory at medical stores and that they be positioned so that drug sales could be verified. Earlier reporting noted: Also Read | A labourer’s tip, a field full of medicine waste and a ₹ 4.91-cr fake drug bust in Karnataka
It said the proposed amendment is part of efforts to strengthen regulatory oversight and safeguards for public health. The proposed CCTV surveillance mechanism will also enhance transparency and accountability across the pharmaceutical supply chain, thereby strengthening safeguards for public health,” said the statement.
Earlier reporting noted: The ministry expects the proposed measure will help curb the unauthorised sale and access to such medicines and improve transparency and accountability in the pharmaceutical supply chain. Earlier reporting noted: “Upon implementation, the proposed amendment is expected to help strengthen monitoring of the sale and distribution of Schedule H, H1 and X drugs and curb their unauthorized access and sale without valid prescriptions.
