Pregabalin and Other Medicines Now Require Prescription in Nepal

Kathmandu. Now Pregabalin medicine cannot be sold without a prescription. The Nepal Pharmaceutical Association Kathmandu, an organization of pharmaceutical entrepreneurs, has taken strict steps to control the unwanted use and misuse of some special medicines in the market.

Based on the decision of the Department of Drug Administration, the association has issued mandatory instructions to importers, wholesale and retail pharmaceutical entrepreneurs to make the supply, market management, and sale and distribution of medicines containing Pregabalin, Dicyclomine, and Promethazine more systematic and controlled.

Especially, medicines like Pregabalin have started to have serious effects on public health due to their intoxicating purposes, misuse, and unauthorized distribution, which has led the association to issue this policy.

Under the new system, clear records must be kept at every level for the import and sale of these medicines. Importers will have to submit consumption details up to the retail level to the Department of Drug Administration every 6-6 months, while wholesale entrepreneurs will have to keep sales records of retail pharmacists.

Although a prescription is not mandatory for Dicyclomine and Promethazine, they must be sold while maintaining human identification and professional integrity. It has also been made mandatory to issue a dispatch or bill voucher clearly showing the doctor's name, Nepal Medical Council number, date of sale, name of the medicine, and quantity when selling medicines.

The association has appealed to pharmaceutical entrepreneurs to maintain professional integrity and has instructed them to exercise special caution if a single person asks for an unusual amount of medicine or repeatedly requests to repeat the medicine. Mentioning that the pharmaceutical business is not just a commercial activity but a responsible service sector directly linked to public health, the statement urged to immediately inform the regulatory body and the association if misuse, illegal export, or suspicious transactions are found.

In order to protect public health, the statement issued by General Secretary Shuva Man Shrestha has requested all entrepreneurs to strictly follow this rule and encourage a transparent transaction system.