Online Sale of Medicines ?

Online sale of medicines is unstoppable , if we go by following report appearing in Hindustan Times ( 21 Dec 2016 )

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Soon, all medicines may be sold online

The drug committee, in its report submitted to the health ministry, has said medicines could be sold online, but with changes in several laws .

Currently, medicine sales are banned online.

The report advises the government to amend several acts, including the IT Act, Drugs and Cosmetics Act, Narcotics Act.

“The report does not deny the possibility of medicine sale online. It just says several laws need to be changed. Also, we need a flawless technical system to regulate sales and route all e-pharmacies through a common platform,” GN Singh, Drug Controller General of India, told HT.

The number of weekly online shoppers have increased by 33% since last year, and the number of daily online shoppers have become fourfold from 2013 to 2015.

The government is working on a plan to support e-pharmacies with a strong technology network. It is likely to test the model by allowing the sale of limited prescription drugs in the first phase.

Singh said most of the proposals that the state drug controllers submitted to the government were in favour of the online sale of drugs.

However, patient security still remains a concern.

The government is also planning to tweak the Drugs and Cosmetics Act as there is no clause on the online sale of medicines. “We need to amend several acts and they need parliamentary approvals. This process could take a year or so,” Singh said.

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But , will NDA government cease this opportunity to herald an era of ,

COMPREHENSIVE  HEALTHCARE  ECO-SYSTEM ?

I once again urge NDA government to consider implementation of such a Eco System , based on my following blog / email , sent to NDA ministers earlier :

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Thursday, 24 November 2016

Health Care through Mobile ?

DNA (  22  Nov  2016 ) carries a news report , titled :

" Online e-pharmacy portals to make patients' lives easier "

The details read :

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The formation of a strict monitoring system for online sale of medicines is underway by the Centre, that has come up with a Self-regulation Code of Conduct for the E pharmacy sector for the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry ( FICCI ).

The e-pharmacy model proposed by the apex business organization provides,

*   digital tracking and traceability of medicines,

*   addressing the problem of counterfeit medicines

*   unsupervised consumption of antibiotics without prescription.

*   improved access and affordability of medicines for patients.

The e-pharmacy model has proposed that medicines must be processed only against a valid copy of a prescription from a registered medical practitioner.

E-pharmacy websites must also ensure no schedule X or other sensitive habit-forming medicines are processed and that there are adequate checks in place to prevent sale of such drugs.

“We are working with private players to develop a centralized online system that involves manufacturers and supply chain managers to develop a fool-proof system for online sale of medicines,”  Drug Controller General of India, Dr G N Singh said.

“Consumers need quality medicines at an affordable price. Drugs and Cosmetics Act is the most poorly implemented — thus making consumers vulnerable to counterfeit medicines and self-medication,” said Bejon Mishra, Founder at Partnership for Safe Medicines (PSM) India.

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Congratulations , FICCI  !

I am happy that you have taken cognizance of my following suggestion , sent to you as an E Mail on 11 Oct  2015

I do hope , in course of time , you will succeed in co-opting all the AGENCIES listed in my suggestion , to ensure for our citizens , a world-class HEALTH CARE

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11  Oct  2015

3D - Digital Delivery of Drugs  ?

{ http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2015/10/3-d-digital-delivery-of-drugs.html }

( let us call it , " Dispenser " )

On 14th Oct , 8 lakh pharmacy stores will go on strike to persuade Government to prohibit sale of " Prescription Drugs " by e-Pharmacies such as 1mg.com / Zigy.com , not to  speak of e-Com sites like Amazon / SnapDeal / Flipkart etc

Reason advanced :

*  Online sale puts consumers at risk

Real reason ?

*  Loss of jobs of 4 million persons employed by 800,000 pharmacy stores

*  Loss of business worth Rs 80,000 Crores

Current legal provision :

*  Drugs and Cosmetics Act,1940 does not prohibit online sale of medicines

Govt response :

*  Set up a Committee to draft new provisions in Law to regulate online sale

My take :

*  One day , everything will be sold online from web sites 10,000 Km away !

*  There is no way march of EVERYTHING ONLINE can be stopped or slowed

My Suggestions :

*  Govt to upload a Mobile App ( DISPENSER ? ) on Health Ministry web site

*  All doctors must download it , after proper registration / authentication

*  App will get embedded with full details of that doctor who uses it

*  Doctors to enter Patient Data in App  / then enter prescribed Drug Details

*  Doctor will SMS app data entered , to concerned patient's mobile

*  Patient will SMS entered app data to mobile of Chemist of his choice

*  Chemist will deliver the medicine to the patient with Bill Details in App

*  Chemist will deliver the medicine to the patient with Bill Details in App

*  Every action / transaction on App , will get automatically emailed to web

    Servers of

       #  Health Ministry

       #  All India Medical Association

       #   All India Organization of Chemists and Druggists ( AIOCD ) 

       #   Drug Controller General of India

Advantages :

*   Jobs / business of Chemists / Druggists saved

*   Great convenience for patients / no need to visit Drug Store

*   No chance of Chemist " misinterpreting " doctor's handwriting  !

*   Full History of

     #  Each Patient ( great benefit to Prescribing doctors )

     #  Each Drug    ( great benefit to Pharma Companies  )

     #  Each Chemist Shop  ( great benefit to Govt / AIOCD / Tax Dept )

     #  Each Doctor  ( great interest to All India Medical Association )

This is our chance , not only to deliver world-class healthcare to millions but also to get rid of a huge amount ofUNETHICAL PRACTICES in , what is a HUMANITARIAN PROFESSION !

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25 Dec  2016

www.hemenparekh.in / blogs

  

Keep Trying

Instead of giving up too soon, if all of us keep trying again and again , we would be able to make a change in our Social , Political , Economic environment

A case in point

Following report appeared in media, a few days back :

A CASE :

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I-T lens on 68 lakh non-filers who made high-value transactions

NEW DELHI: The income tax department has identified an additional 67.54 lakh non-filers who carried out high-value transactions in the 2014-15 financial year, but did not file tax returns for 2015-16.

The I-T department is set to initiate action against these people soon.

The information was collected from banks and other financial institutions.

Data analysis carried out by the Central Board of Direct Taxes+ (CBDT) identifies non-filers about whom specific information is available in transaction reports received in its databases from various sources. 

The analysis is carried out as part of the I-T department's Non-filers Monitoring System (NMS) which is meant to identify non-filers with potential tax liabilities.

A CBDT press release said that the I-T department had identified the 67.54 lakh people by conducting its fifth cycle of data matching.

The department is in the process of sending notices to these non-filers to now account for their transactions and pay taxes as applicable.

The non-filers can access details of their transactions when they log on to the e-filing portal with their PAN, the CBDT said.

The PAN holder will be able to respond electronically and retain a copy of the submitted response.

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POINT :

I sent following blogs / emails to NDA ministers / Secretaries etc , over the past 2 years :

Thursday, 26 August 2016

Still a long way to go !

Times of India ( 26 Aug 2016 ) carries following news report :

"  CVC  TELLS  CBI  TO  SHARE  DETAILS  OF  BIG-TICKET  FRAUDS  WITH  ED  "

" The Central Bureau of Investigation has been asked by the CVC to share details on big ticket frauds with the Enforcement Directorate so that the provisions of anti-money laundering Act can be invoked at the stage of investigation itself. 

The decision comes as there have been cases of corporate frauds involving crores of rupees. 

The CVC has asked CBI to share relevant details on big ticket frauds with the ED so that provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act can be invoked at the stage of investigation itself, officials said today.

They said it will help in taking stringent action against the fraudsters during the investigation stage itself.

There has been cases where ED is roped in at later stage by the CBI and at times, it results in losing out crucial leads and also cause delay in punishing the accused or trace money laundered by them, the sources said, adding that the CBI has started sharing relevant details with the ED. 

In a related development, the CBI has also been made the nodal authority for public sector banks to report high value frauds worth over Rs 50 crore. 

A Joint Director level officer has been authorized in the CBI to receive complaints of the frauds from the banks. After receiving such reports, the officer can recommend investigation by any of the agency's wings ( Anti Corruption, Economic Offences or Bank Security and Fraud Cell ).

The Chief Vigilance Officers, who act as distant arm of Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) to check corruption, of banks have been asked to act as nodal officers to coordinate in reporting such cases to the CBI. 

A total of 171 bank fraud cases involving funds of over Rs 20,000 crore were probed by the CBI last year. "

There is no doubt , this type of co-ordination between different Agencies of the Government dealing with Economic Fraud  will help , but what will bring about a complete SEA CHANGE in the process of quickly catching the culprits , will only happen when my following suggestion ( sent as hard-copy to  PMO on 06 Nov 2014 ) , gets implemented :

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06 Nov 2014

E - Governance ?

Can e-Governance help eliminate corruption  ?

Most certainly

Look at the following , partial list of  Central and State Agencies  set up to fight fraud , money-laundering , corruption , tax-evasion , economic crimes etc :

*  Public Accounts Committee           (  PAC  )

*  Central Vigilance Commission        (  CVC  )

*  Central Information Commission     (  CIC  )

*  Research and Analysis Wing           (  RAW  )

*  Serious Fraud Investigation Office   (  SFIO  )

*  Information Bureau                        (  IB   )

*  Economic Offence Wing                   (  EOW  )

*  Central Bureau of Investigation        (  CBI  )

*  Department of Revenue Intelligence (  DRI  )

*  Comptroller and Auditor General       (  CAG  )

*  Anti Corruption Bureaus ( States ).... (  ACB  )

*  Enforcement Directorate                    (  ED   )

*  Lok  Ayukts    (  States   )

*  Lok Pal           ( Central  )

Despite such an army of Agencies , how do corrupt manage to get away  ?

Or , in case caught , manage to delay delivery of punishment for years  ?

No doubt , there must be several reasons , including , inter - agency rivalry to get credit - something difficult to eliminate altogether

But , I believe , the most important reason is :

Lack of a COMMON  / COMPUTERIZED  database of all offences / cases / persons being investigated

And , which is readily " Accessible " to all of these Agencies , all over the country ( 24 * 365 )

Already , every Agency compiles huge dossiers on " Suspects " in its own 

" Departmental Database " , which is never shared with other Agencies ,

leading to ,

*   Huge amount of duplication of efforts / information

*   Fractured / scattered profiles of " Suspects "

*   Enormous waste of time / resources

What will help  ?

*  Dismantling of individual departmental databases

*  Merging of all Agency-wise databases into a SINGLE / UNIQUE database

*  All Agencies to enter their findings / data / info into this COMMON

     database , with nothing preserved on local computers

*  All data-entry FORMS to be ONLINE . No paper forms at all

*  All local computers connected to ultra-secure Network ( Encrypted )

*  " Access Rights " to individuals , based on Biometric Identification

I believe , not only such an " INTEGRATION  OF  DATABASES " is highly desirable , it is also ENTIRELY POSSIBLE , if there is a POLITICAL WILL

And I don't think , this will require passing of any law in the Parliament

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I am getting to believe that the NDA ministers and

Secretaries , do find time to read my daily E Mails !

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25  Dec  2016

www.hemenparekh.in / blogs

Indonesia Shows the Way

While being interviewed by Shereen Bhan ( CNBC TV18 ), two days back , Ruchir Sharma said :

" At 50 % tax rate , I do not expect much hidden / unaccounted BLACK MONEY to get declared by Indians , under recently amended Income Tax Act ( PMGKY Amnesty Scheme )

On the other hand , Indonesia succeeded in unearthing US $ 200 billion worth of BLACK MONEY  {  US $ 200 Billion = approx Rs 136 lakh*crore  } , in last few months

Of this , some $ 30 billion of black money got declared by son of late president Suharto "

Even the Indonesians who are used to Tsunami , were caught unprepared by this unprecedented tide of BLACK MONEY , washing over their shores , from all over the World !

What brought about this " miracle " ?

No rocket science here . Indonesian government believed in the

 " Power ofGreed "

{  http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2015/10/from-greed-to-great.html  }

They told the BLACK MONEY hoarders :

" Declare your hidden wealth and pay just 3 % income tax ( to be raised to 4 % after 9 months ! ) "

Our own recent track record is as follows :

*  Last Undisclosed Assets Declaration Scheme @ 60 % tax + Penalty =   Rs 50,000 crore

*  From Rs 75K Cr deposit in Jan Dhan A/C since 08 Nov ( @ 50 % tax )= Rs 50,000 crore

So , Indonesia beats us , Rs 136 lakh*crore  to  Rs 1 lakh*crore  !

This Indonesian Miracle must be viewed in light of following estimates of India's Black Money :

 *  Stashed away abroad between 2005-2015  = $ 50 billion ( Rs 35 lakh*crore )

*   At 12 % of GDP ( $ 2300 Billion ), our BLACK MONEY economy = $ 276 billion

  (  Rs 185 Lakh*crore )

Now imagine , if we too had offered PMGKY ( Prime Minister's Gareeb Kalyan Yojana ) , to our black money hoarders , at 5 % tax rate ( instead of 50 % announced )

We could have managed to get them to deposit / declare , Rs 100 lakh*crore ( out of Rs 185 lakh*crore ) , with 90 % amount being declared by " You know Who ? "

And  government would have collected , Rs 5 lakh* crore  by way of tax

Perhaps enough to abolish Personal Income Tax from 2017 onwards !

We could have done much better than Indonesia - and 5 years ago - had UPA government considered my following blog / suggestion :

THURSDAY, 9 JUNE 2011

MagicWand ?

{  http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2011/06/magic-wand.html  }

May be Shri Arun Jaitleyji could still consider it for the forthcoming Union Budget

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24  Dec  2016

www.hemenparekh.in / blogs