Over-the-counter sale of paracetamol witnesses sharp decline in Mangaluru

Mangaluru: Restrictions on sale of paracetamol, coupled with an increase in the number of people opting for home-made remedies such as kashaya, not to mention increase in awareness on the perils of self-medication has resulted in bringing down the demand for what many pharmacists refer to as the over-the-counter ‘wonder drug’.
As part of its efforts to trace possible Covid-19 patients, the department of drug control issued strict directions to chemists and pharmacists to refrain from dispensing paracetamol tablets to those seeking them without a doctor’s prescription. In fact, even those customers who arrive at the stores armed with a prescription, have to provide their names, address and the name of the doctor they are being treated by, in order to collect the drug. The department has warned chemists of stringent action in the event of failure to adhere to the guidelines. The department is compiling details of all those seeking paracetamol.
Mohammed Kunhi, proprietor of Unity Medicals in Mangaluru, said that, at his store, the number of people who visited seeking paracetamol without a prescription had come down from 40 prior to the lockdown to five. “But among them are those who don’t hesitate to threaten us to dispense the medicine,” said Kunhi.
Another pharmacist in Mangaluru opined that people were more careful about popping pills these days. However, he enjoined on fellow pharmacists across the state to abide by the new guidelines. “Those wishing to leave one district or state and travel across borders may want to purchase paracetamol so it brings their temperature down, and they can escape detection at various screening points. So, chemists must ensure that they do not supply these medicines without a prescription,” he warned.
Consultant for infectious diseases at KMC Hospital Dr Farhan Fazal said that the new guidelines served as an instrument to keep track of those suffering from influenza-like illnesses (ILI). “Eventually, this will lead to a reduction in the number of people opting for self-medication, and citizens will have to approach fever clinics in case they have any symptoms,” Dr Fazal said.