Sahana Charan - The Hindu

• `Consumers are also to be blamed' 
• Such drugs should not just be sold without prescription
• The chemist should also stamp the prescription for medicine

Bangalore, May 29: Sedatives and phenobarbitones (anti-epileptic drugs), which should not be sold without prescription, are easily available over-the-counter at several pharmacies in the city. With Bangalore becoming the "suicide capital" of the country, this is also a cause for concern as those committing suicide in urban areas often take an overdose of sedatives and anti-epileptics, according to psychiatrists.

According to the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, which governs the sale of prescription drugs in the country, such drugs should not just be sold over-the-counter without the consumer producing a prescription. The chemist should also stamp the prescription so that spurious drugs can be traced to a particular medical store or manufacturer.

"The most common substances used for attempting suicide are usually insecticides, more so in rural and semi-urban areas as these are easily available. Sedatives such as Calmpose are known to be taken more commonly only in urban areas by people trying to commit suicide," says G. Swaminath, Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Dr. Ambedkar Medical College. The Drugs Control Department officials admit that there are a few pharmacists who do not go by the guidelines given by the Drug Controller General with regard to sale of prescription drugs here.

"We have taken steps to regulate the improper sale of drugs. Consumers are also to blame because they should not buy prescription drugs over-the-counter," B.G. Prabhakumar, Deputy Drug Controller, told The Hindu .

The Drugs Control Department has launched a campaign to educate the consumer on what they should keep in mind while buying medicines. This drive has been initiated with the purpose of curbing over-the-counter sale of drugs and the circulation of spurious drugs in the market, M.N. Ramamurthy, State Drugs Controller, says.