Amid govt's proposal for CCTVs at medical stores, 64% of consumers say chemists rarely ask for prescription: Survey

India has proposed amending the Drugs Rules, 1945 as per a gazette notification on 8 September. It aims to curb the unauthorised sale of prescription drugs.

Indian government has proposed mandatory CCTV surveillance across retail medical stores to prevent unauthorised sale of prescription drugs. The health ministry stated that the plan has been proposed by amending the Drugs Rules, 1945. The amendment aims to tighten

The proposed amendment focuses on tightening oversight of Schedule H, H1 and X drugs, preventing their sale without valid medical prescriptions.

How many people are asked for prescriptions at medical stores?

Amid this, a new survey by LocalCircles, suggests that more than 50% of consumers have reported that chemists rarely ask for a doctor's prescription before selling drugs.

Going by the findings of the same survey, only 15% say the chemist mostly or always insisted on prescriptions.

31% get assistance from a qualified pharmacist

The survey, which was reportedly conducted nationwide, also pointed out that only 31% of consumers said they get assistance from a qualified pharmacist most of the time at medical stores.

However, 13% said that they were assisted by a non-qualified pharmacist at stores. The question asked, “In the last 12 months when you visited local chemists/pharmacies and needed assistance, how often did a qualified pharmacist assist you with medicine/disease related query?” Out of 19,409 responders, 26% said that a qualified pharmacist assisted them most of the time during their purchase. 5% said that they always received help. While another 22% said that they were assisted by a qualified pharmacist sometimes, 11% answered very rarely, and 16% said never. 13% said the person who did assist them was not qualified, while 7% could not comment.

The survey also asked, “How have you primarily purchased medicines in the last 12 months?” To this, reportedly 16,822 responded. In reply, 62% said they purchased medicine either by themselves or sent someone to their local chemist. Another 24% added that they get their order delivered at the doorstep from the local shops. Only 14% said they relied on ePharmacy apps. Altogether, 86% of consumers surveyed said that they opted for their neighbourhood chemist.

26% were not given a GST bill

The survey also sought whether customers received their GST bill at the time of their purchase in the last 12 months.

Among 20,573 responses, 70% said they received a printed GST bill or invoice. 26% of people surveyed were not provided a GST bill. This included 3% who received a manually generated GST bill, 9% who received a handwritten slip, paper or medicine envelope with the total amount written on it and 2% who received a bill via WhatsApp, phone or at delivery with no GST bill. 15% didn't get any bill at all.

Reportedly, 15% of those surveyed were sold medicines later found to be fake or counterfeit.

The survey received over 1,06,000 responses across 327 districts of India.

About the Author

Sneha Biswas specialises in covering entertainment and pop culture, with a specialisation on Bollywood, Hollywood, OTT platforms, K-pop, K-dramas, and major developments in the US entertainment industry. She believes in telling stories that balance speed with substance, and in making entertainment journalism contextual, culturally aware, and reader-first rather than purely reactive.<br><br> With over six years of experience in digital media, Sneha currently serves as a Deputy Chief Content Producer at Live Mint. She has spent more than three and a half years with the HT Group and returned to the organisation in February 2025, joining Live Mint to uplift the entertainment section. Over the past year, she has been closely involved in entertainment coverage including breaking news, explainers, trend reporting, box office reports and analysis for the audience.<br><br> Sneha is Google News certified, having completed training focused on newsroom best practices, digital reporting, and SEO-driven content strategies. Her work reflects a strong understanding of audience behaviour, search trends, and the evolving consumption patterns of entertainment news across formats.<br><br> Prior to her current role, Sneha has worked across multiple content and editorial functions within digital newsrooms, building expertise in content planning, editing, and real-time coverage. Her professional interests lie at the intersection of entertainment, internet culture, and global pop trends.<br><br> Working for the National city team, Biswas closely follows global entertainment movements while maintaining a strong pulse on what is happening in India.

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