Tramadol Hydrochloride

New Delhi: The Delhi government has directed all pharmaceutical and medical shops to install CCTV cameras on their premises by the end of July to curb the sale of low-quality drugs and dual-use medicines without prescriptions, TOI reported. The order is targeted at high-risk drugs like codeine-based cough syrups, alprazolam tablets and tramadol capsules, which are frequently misused—particularly by minors. Special secretary (health and family welfare) Danish Ashraf wrote a letter to Retail Distribution Chemist Alliance and other chemist associations across Delhi, stating, "Share this communication with all your members, conveying the directions not to indulge in the sale of Schedule H, H1, and X drugs without a valid prescription from a registered medical practitioner. Further, as per the deliberations held during the 11th NCORD meeting on July 18, your members/chemists are requested to install CCTV cameras at their premises by the end of July 2025." According to regulations, Schedule H and H1 drugs cannot be sold over the counter and require a doctor's prescription. H1 drugs include strong antibiotics, anti-TB medicines, and habit-forming substances under the NDPS Act and require sales to be logged in a separate register. Schedule X drugs, such as barbiturates, amphetamines, and pentobarbital, are highly regulated, requiring special sale licences, secure storage under lock and key, and strict documentation, including prescription retention. The drug control department conducts regular inspection across the national capital to ensure compliance. Furthermore, special drives are conducted to collect samples from retailers, wholesalers and institutions to check the quality of drugs available in the market. "In one such special drive conducted in June 2025, the department collected 127 samples of anti-cancer drugs from various outlets across the capital. Of these, 48 samples were tested and found to be genuine and compliant with prescribed quality norms. The results of the remaining 79 samples are awaited. All tested samples so far have been declared of standard quality," KR Chawla, head of office, drug control department, told TOI. The checks are aimed at accountability deter the over-the-counter sale of restricted drugs without medical supervision and to ensure that essential medicines, particularly for critical illnesses like cancer, meet safety and efficacy standards, another official told TOI.