CCTV at the Chemist's Counter: The Drugs Rules Amendment That Turns Antimicrobial Stewardship into an Enforcement Question

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has proposed an amendment to the Drugs Rules, 1945 making closed-circuit television surveillance mandatory at retail premises that dispense prescription medicines — in practice those under Schedule H, Schedule H1 and Schedule X. The draft, issued as G.S.R. 791(E) on 8 September 2026 and reported on 17–18 September 2026, inserts a new sub-rule into Rule 65 and requires recordings to be preserved for at least three months. Wholesale transactions are excluded; the requirement applies only to retail sale between a pharmacy and a patient. Objections and suggestions may be filed for 30 days. The proposal was examined by the Drugs Consultative Committee, which agreed as early as March 2025 that cameras should be positioned to verify sales compliance, and was recommended by the Drugs Technical Advisory Board.