Buying antibiotics or cough syrup from a neighbourhood pharmacy could soon involve a camera recording the transaction, if a recommendation by India’s top drug advisory panel is implemented.

The Drugs Technical Advisory Board, or DTAB, has recommended mandatory CCTV surveillance at pharmacy sales premises as part of a plan to curb the illegal diversion and trafficking of medicines, particularly Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. However, the proposal has drawn opposition from small chemists, who say the infrastructure costs could be unaffordable and difficult to manage in rural areas.

DTAB Recommends CCTV And Drug Tracking

The recommendation was made during a DTAB meeting on August 27. The board advises the central government on the regulation of drugs, cosmetics and medical devices.

According to the minutes of the meeting, seen by News18, the panel cleared a proposal for the “installation of CCTV at sales premises and tracking and tracing of all Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) in the supply chain”.

The proposal is now with Drug Controller General of India Dr Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi for final execution.

The move follows years of regulatory concern over medicines being diverted into the illegal drug market. Authorities have particularly focused on narcotic painkillers and habit-forming cough syrups. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has also called for stronger monitoring to prevent drug abuse among minors.

What The Proposed CCTV Rule Means

Under the proposal, chemists would be required to install CCTV cameras at their sales premises to help authorities track and trace NDPS medicines. The intention is to create a digital record that can be reviewed during regulatory audits and potentially help identify illegal sales.

While the proposal is aimed at strengthening monitoring of controlled medicines, it has raised concerns among chemists, particularly those operating in rural and remote parts of the country.

The All India Organisation of Chemists & Druggists, the country’s largest association representing chemists and drug distributors, wrote to the Ministry of Health on September 17, weeks after the DTAB recommendation. The organisation has more than 15 lakh members.

Chemists Flag Rs 50,000-1 Lakh Cost

The AIOCD has raised concerns over the financial burden the proposed requirement could place on smaller pharmacies.

“Installation of six to eight cameras, DVR/NVR systems, storage equipment, wiring, internet connectivity and regular maintenance can involve a substantial recurring expenditure of approximately 50,000 to 1 Lac (Rs 50,000-100,000),” the association said in its letter to Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava.

The organisation argued that small chemists operating on modest margins could struggle to absorb such an investment.

“Chemists should not be expected to bear such infrastructure costs merely to meet a regulatory requirement,” the AIOCD said in the letter, seen by News18.

The association has also raised concerns about the technical feasibility of maintaining continuous surveillance. It pointed to frequent power outages, weak internet connectivity and other infrastructure limitations in rural areas.

“Frequent power failures, poor internet connectivity and other infrastructure limitations in rural areas can make continuous CCTV recording technically impractical,” the AIOCD said.

Rural Pharmacies Seek Exemption

The chemists’ body has also argued that a uniform CCTV requirement could affect small pharmacies disproportionately. Large pharmacy chains that already operate surveillance systems may be better positioned to absorb the additional costs, while smaller outlets in economically weaker regions could face greater financial pressure.

Gurumurthy Ganapathy, who runs five retail medical shops in rural areas, said the proposal was particularly difficult for pharmacies operating outside major urban centres.

“While we support measures to curb illegal drug sales, imposing this uniform rule ignores rural realities,” he said.

“Small village chemists operate on minimal profit margins; forcing expensive camera setups, 90-day storage drives, and continuous upkeep threatens their survival. Frequent power outages and poor internet infrastructure make continuous recording technically impossible,” he added.

Ganapathy called for either an exemption for small rural pharmacies or full financial subsidies to help them meet the proposed requirement.

Chemists Call For Track And Trace At Source

Former president of the Tamil Nadu Chemists and Druggists Association, Ramachandran Mannargudi, has also urged the government to withdraw the proposal.

“Cameras cannot verify prescriptions or dispensed medicines—details already captured through legal registers and billing. To genuinely monitor controlled and antibiotic drugs, the government must implement a direct Track & Trace system at the manufacturing source instead of burdening retail outlets.”

Mannargudi also argued that the proposed requirement could hurt small pharmacies that have operated in villages for decades.

He said that “rather than driving out small village chemists nurtured since the ‘Health for All’ era, this unviable law should be immediately withdrawn.”

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