Can a GP store in his clinic the drugs needed for the purpose of dispensing to his own patients?
QUESTION—I have my own practice in the form of a single doctor clinic. Can I start a small pharmacy/ drug store inside my clinic to sell/ dispense medicines I prescribe? Do I need a drug license for the same?
ANSWER—
1—In terms of MCI Regulations, 2002 and the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, you are allowed to dispense medicines to your own patients and to store necessary medicines for that purpose in reasonable quantity. You do not need a licence for the same.
2—Please note that the words used by you are tricky and you should avoid using them. A wrong word or term used can invite unnecessary trouble. You should never talk about “starting a pharmacy/ drug store to sell/ dispense medicines”. Medicines kept by a general physician for his own use (for dispensing to his patients) do not constitute a pharmacy or drug store. When you dispense medicine to your patients, you don’t sell them. Selling involves a concept of contract (offer; acceptance of offer; consideration) and involves issue of a bill / receipt for goods sold and potentially exposes you to a charge of deficiency of goods as regards goods sold.
3—In view of above, it is better to have a proper concept and to frame your question as follows—“ Can I keep in my clinic the drugs which I need for the purpose of dispensing to my own patients?”
QUESTION—I have my own practice in the form of a single doctor clinic. Can I start a small pharmacy/ drug store inside my clinic to sell/ dispense medicines I prescribe? Do I need a drug license for the same?
ANSWER—
1—In terms of MCI Regulations, 2002 and the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, you are allowed to dispense medicines to your own patients and to store necessary medicines for that purpose in reasonable quantity. You do not need a licence for the same.
2—Please note that the words used by you are tricky and you should avoid using them. A wrong word or term used can invite unnecessary trouble. You should never talk about “starting a pharmacy/ drug store to sell/ dispense medicines”. Medicines kept by a general physician for his own use (for dispensing to his patients) do not constitute a pharmacy or drug store. When you dispense medicine to your patients, you don’t sell them. Selling involves a concept of contract (offer; acceptance of offer; consideration) and involves issue of a bill / receipt for goods sold and potentially exposes you to a charge of deficiency of goods as regards goods sold.
3—In view of above, it is better to have a proper concept and to frame your question as follows—“ Can I keep in my clinic the drugs which I need for the purpose of dispensing to my own patients?”
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI am a pharmacist who is commenting on this.
let doctors do their job of prescribing the medicines to patients, and pharmacist we will do our job of dispensing the medicines.
Please Dont take our job. since many pharmacist in India are unemployed.
but as per drug and cosmetic act 1948 sec 42 no person other than pharmacist can dispense the medicine
ReplyDeleteYour Article Is Very Nice Article.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.physiciandispensing.net/
physician dispensing
I am a paedriatician running a nursing home at Ranchi, for my patients I have medicine on my Registratiojn No. at my hospital for my patients, is this right If yes what amount of medicine I can purchase in a month.
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