The survey found that 71% of consumers in Mumbai rarely asked for a prescription; Maharashtra FDA has taken action against 880 drug licensees in three months

As many as 71% of consumers surveyed in Mumbai said chemists never or rarely refused to sell over-the-counter medicines, compared to 64% nationally, according to a survey by LocalCircles released on September 18, 2026. The findings come after the Center proposed mandatory CCTV surveillance in medical shops selling prescription drugs and Maharashtra’s FDA action against retailers.

The LocalCircles Mumbai survey, which received more than 20,000 responses to its questions, also found that only 28% of respondents said they were most or always assisted by a qualified pharmacist, while 21% said they were assisted by someone who was not a qualified pharmacist.

In prescription checks, 36% of the 3,697 respondents from Mumbai said chemists never refused to give them non-prescription drugs, and another 35% said they did so very rarely. Only 9% said chemists usually refused such sales and 5% said they always did.

The gap was also visible in home deliveries. Of the 3,122 respondents, 18% said their chemist never required a prescription during ordering or delivery, and 40% said it happened very rarely. Only 23% said a prescription was required most or always.

The survey showed that neighborhood chemists remain the main source of medicines in Mumbai. Of the 3,012 respondents, 57% said they visited or sent someone to their local pharmacy, while 26% ordered from their pharmacist via phone calls or WhatsApp for home delivery. Only 17% primarily used e-pharmacy applications.

A national survey, released a day earlier on September 17, 2026, showed a similar, though somewhat lower, level of reported noncompliance. Across India, 64% of consumers surveyed said that their chemist never or rarely insisted on a prescription, while only 15% said that chemists usually or always did so. Only 31% said they were usually or always assisted by a qualified pharmacist, while 13% said the person assisting them was not qualified.

The nationwide survey received more than 106,000 responses from consumers in 327 counties. It also found that 41% said chemists never or rarely looked for prescriptions during home delivery, compared to 58% in Mumbai.

The findings come at a time when the Union Ministry of Health and Welfare has tabled proposals to amend the 1945 Drug Rules, which propose mandatory CCTV surveillance at health shops supplying medicines sold on the prescription of a registered practitioner.

The proposal issued by Gazette notification GSR 791(E) dated 8 September proposes to insert a new sub-rule after rule 65(2). It states that the retail supply of prescription drugs should be monitored by CCTV installed and maintained on the premises. The aim of the proposal is to strengthen the supervision of the sale of drugs from list H, H1 and X and to limit sales without valid prescriptions. The government requested objections and suggestions before finalizing the amendment.

The proposed rule comes amid tougher enforcement by the Food and Drug Administration in Maharashtra. Between June and August 2026, the FDA inspected 2,902 drug facilities, including 2,295 sales and 607 manufacturing units, and initiated action against 880 licensees.

Of these, 677 licenses were suspended and 203 revoked, with 740 of the 880 actions involving retailers and wholesalers. During the same three-month period, the FDA conducted 104 search and seizure operations, seized illegal drugs and cosmetics worth Rs 11.41 crore, registered 20 FIRs and made 21 arrests.

FDA inspectors flagged several of the same problems reflected in the consumer survey, including sales of drugs without the supervision of a registered pharmacist, dispensing of prescription drugs without valid prescriptions, incomplete H1 Schedule records and sales without proper invoices. Other violations included keeping expired drugs in stock and failing to control the temperature of products such as insulin and vaccines.

The survey in Mumbai also found gaps in billing. While 76% said they usually received a printed GST invoice and 3% received a manually prepared GST bill, 20% did not actually receive a proper GST invoice.

LocalCircles said the Mumbai results would be shared with the Maharashtra FDA, the Union health ministry and CDSCO and called for stricter verification of registered pharmacists, checks on prescriptions for phone and WhatsApp deliveries and better documentation of drug sales.

Published – 19 September 2026 10:00 AM IST