Certain contraceptive pills will continue to be available without prescription: CDSCO sources
New Delhi, Oct 13: There is no change in the rules governing the sale and distribution of emergency contraceptive pill brands like i-Pill or Unwanted 72 and they will continue to be available without a prescription, official sources from national drug controlling authority CDSCO said on Friday.
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation(CDSCO) sources said that certain media reports have misinterpreted proposal for change in rules regarding prescription requirement for hormonal contraceptives governed by Schedule H and K of Drug Rules.
There is no change in the status quo regarding the over-the-counter sales and distribution of Emergency Contraceptive Pill (ECP) brands like i-Pill or Unwanted 72, an official source said.
Presently, the contraceptive drugs i.e. Centchroman and Ethinyloestradiol are under Schedule H of Drugs Rules, meaning that they can be sold on the doctor's prescription only.
Also, for manufacturers, they will be required to mention caution on the label as "to be sold by retail on the prescription of Registered Medical Practitioner only".
However, certain strengths of these drugs are also covered in Schedule 'K' of Drugs Rules, meaning that these specific strengths do not need any prescription from a doctor for purchase.
"The strengths as defined in Schedule K, will be available without prescription, as it is available today. And all other remaining strengths will need a prescription, as it is required today," the official source said.
"The proposed amendment in the Drug Rules, whereby a clarifying statement 'Class of drugs mentioned at entry no. 15 of Schedule K shall not be covered by this Schedule" will be added in Schedule H of the Rule.
"This will remove the ambiguity and simplify the process for sale of such drugs (of selected strengths)," the source said.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
