DCGI bans loose tablets in pharmacies to slash Rs 1,000 crore waste
Source: livemint.com
- India's drug regulator DCGI directs chemists to sell full medicine strips instead of loose tablets to cut waste.
- Loose tablets cause over 25% of expired drugs in pharmacies, leading to high disposal costs.
- The move targets antibiotics and high-waste drugs, aiming to save money and reduce environmental harm.
India's Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDGI) has ordered pharmacies to stop selling loose tablets and instead provide full strips or packs. This targets chemists who break strips to sell individual pills, causing massive waste from expired remnants. Chemists, pharma companies, and regulators are involved, with the core goal of slashing inventory losses that hit Rs 1,000 crore yearly. It matters because it could lower medicine prices for consumers and cut pollution from improper dru