Chemist shops down shutters for a day

Their demands also includes a six-month course to facilitate the availability of trained chemists.

“Although Gujarat does have enough pharmaceutical institutes,there are many states which lack the required number of colleges and institutions,” adds Patel.

Apart from the chemists affiliated to the association,many private retail chains,such as Apollo and Emami,also joined the strike.

“We are objecting to the provisions made in Drugs and Cosmetics (Amendment) Act,2008 which stipulates action against chemists and druggists too who may be found selling spurious drugs,” said Patel.

“We are opposing this as we are merely sellers,not manufacturers and government is treating us like terrorists,” he added.

“We welcome the strict legal provisions to reduce the presence of spurious drugs in the market but in that effort,we should be made witnesses not accused,” he urged.

“Keeping the humanitarian aspect attached to our business we have kept one medical store open in every city,town and near hospitals to cater the emergency need of the patients,” he said. Patel said that,“instead of targeting small profitmargins of chemists,government should focus on multinational drug companies who are having more then 300 per cent of profit margin.”