Mumbai: Major E-commerce website, Snapdeal has come under the scanner of The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for selling prescription drugs online.


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Maharashtra FDA officials conducted raids at the offices of Snapdeal at Goregaon, North-west Mumbai on April 17 after receiving an information that the website is selling drugs that cannot be sold without a prescription.


FDA Commissioner Harshadeep Kamble informed that drugs such as Ascoril cough syrup and Viagara tablets were put up for sale online.


The FDA initiated action against Snapdeal under Section 18(C) of the Drugs & Cosmetics Act, 1940, read with Rule 65. The provision states that only a licensed retailer can sell drugs, based on a doctor's prescription.


"Such type of online sale of drugs is not allowed as per the Act. Such kind of self-medication may be harmful to the patients. Snapdeal.com like agencies cannot act like doctor or pharmacist. "Through such vigilant actions, the FDA is trying to control the menace of Internet-based sale of drugs which could be harmful to the patients," Kamble said in a statement.


Snapdeal has been asked to provide the complete agreements, invoices, payment details and the names of the medical stores and the companies through which the drugs were purchased and also to withdraw offers for sale and exhibition of such drugs.


Commissioner Harshadeep Kamble has now asked his officers to also check other e-commerce websites like Flipkart and Amazon to see whether they too are selling such prescription drugs.