AIOCD Slams Govt Plan To Let PACS Run Jan Aushadhi Kendras Without Pharmacists

The All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD), which represents more than 12.40 lakh chemists and druggists across India, is up in arms against the Union Government’s proposal to grant restricted drug licences to Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS).

The protest follows an initiative by the Union Ministry of Cooperation to allow these grassroots cooperative institutions to run Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras (PMBJKs) even without the presence of a qualified pharmacist.

“Medicines are life-saving products. They cannot be treated at par with agricultural chemicals. Drug dispensing must strictly remain under the supervision of trained and registered pharmacists. Any dilution would amount to a risky experiment with public health,” AIOCD President J.S. Shinde and General Secretary Rajiv Singhal said in a communication to the Union Health Ministry.

The issue escalated after a circular was issued by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) on February 23, 2026. Acting on earlier directions from the Union Health Ministry and the Union Ministry of Cooperation, the DCGI asked state drug licensing authorities to review the possibility of granting restricted licences in Forms 20A and 21A to PACS.

According to the government, the move is aimed at expanding access to affordable medicines in rural and tribal areas where the availability of registered pharmacists is often limited. Ministry officials believe that relaxing certain licensing conditions could help increase the reach of Janaushadhi centres in underserved regions.

The proposal, a brainchild of the Ministry of Cooperation in December 2025, later received support through an office memorandum issued by the Ministry of Health on February 2, 2026. By referring to provisions under Rules 62A and 62B of the Drugs Rules, 1945, the DCGI circular has effectively opened the door for PACS to dispense certain medicines even without the mandatory supervision of a registered pharmacist.

However, the AIOCD has criticised the move, calling it a serious dilution of safeguards laid down under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.

The chemists’ body has expressed particular concern about the storage of medicines in facilities that also handle agrochemicals. Since PACS typically deal with fertilizers, pesticides, and other farm inputs, the organisation warned that keeping medicines in the same environment could lead to contamination risks. Such practices, they said, would violate Good Storage Practices (GSP) and could compromise the quality and safety of medicines.

The association also questioned the government’s argument about the shortage of trained professionals. According to the AIOCD, India already has a widespread network of licensed pharmacies and a sufficient number of registered pharmacists, including in many remote areas. The body pointed out that restricted licences were originally intended only for exceptional situations where no pharmacy was available, a condition they believe no longer applies in most parts of the country.

Another major concern raised by the organisation is the possibility of an unregulated parallel drug distribution system emerging if medicines are dispensed by untrained personnel. The AIOCD warned that this could worsen the country’s challenge of antimicrobial resistance, as antibiotics and other medicines might be sold indiscriminately without professional oversight.

They also cautioned that the absence of qualified pharmacists could increase the risk of medication errors and the misuse of habit-forming drugs.

In its representation to the Union Health Ministry, the AIOCD has urged the government to immediately withdraw the DCGI circular and reconsider the proposal. The association emphasised that Janaushadhi Kendras should operate only from licensed pharmacy premises and under the supervision of registered pharmacists to ensure patient safety and uphold the integrity of national drug regulations.