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New Delhi: Noting the fact that the reduction in GST rates (18% to 5%, 12% to 0%, 12% to 5%) has benefited consumers, but it has severely impacted the financial position of small traders, the All India Organisation of Chemists & Druggists (AIOCD), representing over 12.5 lakh chemists and distributors across the country, has appealed to the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for urgent relief measures to protect small retailers during the transition to GST 2.0.

Highlighting the practical difficulties and financial losses faced by small traders, the AIOCD President J. S. Shinde and General Secretary Rajiv Singhal stated:

• The reduction in GST rates (18% to 5%, 12% to 0%, 12% to 5%) has benefited consumers, but it has severely impacted the financial position of small traders.

• Stock purchased by unregistered and composite dealers at higher GST rates now has to be sold at lower prices, leading to unavoidable losses, especially when drug margins are regulated by NPPA.

• Most small traders are either not registered under GST or are composite dealers who cannot claim Input Tax Credit (ITC).

In view of the above, the AIOCD has requested the Government to allow small traders to sell their existing stock at the old MRP for a period of three months. If necessary, a special relief package should be announced, and during this transition period, no harassment or penal action should be taken against small retailers.

In a letter to the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the key concerns raised by AIOCD:

• Across the country, pricing adjustments are being made in line with the new GST rates, but the plight of small retailers is being completely ignored.

• Small chemists( URD and Composite ), particularly those in rural and semi-urban areas, are already operating on very thin margins.

• The reduction of 18% to 5%, 12% to 0%, and 12% to 5% has created a situation where pipeline stock purchased at higher tax rates must now be sold at lower prices. As you know, the margin on medicines is fixed by NPPA.

• These retailers are at a total loss since they cannot recover the tax difference. Many are not registered under GST and hence cannot claim Input Tax Credit (ITC).

• At several places, the survival of these small traders is under severe threat.

In addition, it stated that adding to their distress:

• We are observing that many political leaders, senior officers, and GSTN officials are actively moving in the market highlighting that the GST relief has reached consumers.

• While the government has already taken its full GST on goods sold before 21st September from small URD and composite retailers, nobody is addressing their present plight.

• Instead, these traders are being compelled to sell at a loss, which is highly unfair and unsustainable.

In line with the above concerns, in order to safeguard small retailers and chemists, the AIOCD has urged the government:

1. The government should permit the sale of pipeline medicine stock on old MRP for at least the next three months, so that existing inventory purchased at higher GST rates can be exhausted without causing further losses.

2. If this is not possible, a special relief mechanism should be announced for small traders and chemists to offset the unavoidable financial hit.

3. Till this transition period of three months is over, we also request that no harassment or coercive action be taken against small retailers, as they are already facing unprecedented hardship.

The association issued a warning, saying that neglecting the problems faced by small pharmacies could endanger the supply of necessary medications at the local level.

“If immediate relief is not provided, many small chemists may be forced to shut down their shops, which will certainly affect the availability of medicines in rural and remote areas — a responsibility that will fall upon the Government. The Organisation has urged the Government to act swiftly to safeguard the backbone of India’s retail drug trade, which is being overlooked during this historic reform.” AIOCD said in its statement

Also Read: Chemists’ Body Seeks Input Tax Credit Refund, Protection Period Amid GST 2.0 Rollout

New Delhi: Through a recent Gazette notification, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has notified a ban on the import, manufacture, sale, and distribution of several classes of antimicrobials for animal use, including 15 antibiotics such as carbapenems, ceftobiprole, ceftaroline, glycopeptides and oxazolidinones, 18 antivirals such as favipiravir, molnupiravir, oseltamivir, ribavirin and zanamivir and others and one antiprotozoal, nitazoxanide.

The WILL trial (When to Induce Labour to Limit risk in pregnancy
hypertension) aimed to address the optimal timing of birth for women with
chronic or gestational hypertension at term gestational age, when women remain
well and there is no evidence of pre-eclampsia. WILL was a multicentre
randomised trial of 403 women with chronic or gestational hypertension, who
were randomised at 37+0–6 weeks’ gestational age to either ‘planned early term
birth at 38+0–3 weeks’ gestation’ (N = 201, intervention group) or ‘usual care
at term’ (N = 202, control group); the trial was stopped early by the funder
due to slower-than-anticipated recruitment during the COVID-19 pandemic. The
clinical outcomes and costs favoured the intervention group. While in the
intervention (vs. control) group, there was no difference in the co-primary
outcomes of ‘poor maternal outcome’ (severe hypertension, maternal death, or
maternal morbidity; 27, 13% vs. 24, 12%, respectively) or ‘neonatal unit
admission for ≥4 h’ (14, 7% vs. 14, 7%, respectively), or Caesarean births (58,
29% vs. 72, 36%, respectively), there was a significant reduction in
pre-eclampsia (56, 27.9% vs. 76, 37.6%, respectively) and costs for tests of
maternal or fetal wellbeing (102.84, 95% CI −136.65 to −67.78).

In addition to clinical outcomes and costs, patients’
experiences were evaluated in the WILL trial. As with all health policy, it is
important that timing of birth recommendations be associated with positive
psychosocial outcomes for women, particularly as dissatisfaction with the
childbirth experience has been associated with negative consequences, such as
on breastfeeding, infant bonding and postpartum mental health. In this article,
authors described the experiences of women in the WILL trial, as evaluated by
the Childbirth Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) and their associated free-text
comments.

In intervention (vs. control) groups, the CEQ was completed
by 177/202, 88.1% (vs. 180/202, 89.1%) participants, and 378 free-text comments
were made by 93/177, 52.5% (vs. 98/180, 54.4%) participants. There was no
significant difference in CEQ scores overall (3.1±0.4 vs. 3.1±0.4,
respectively) or by domain (‘Own capacity’ [2.8±0.5 vs. 2.7±0.5, respectively];
‘Professional support’ [3.7±0.5 vs. 3.7±0.6, respectively]; ‘Perceived safety’
[3.2±0.6 vs. 3.1±0.6, respectively]; and ‘Participation’ [2.6±0.7 vs.
2.7±0.6]). Most comments were positive (222/378, 58.7%), and about ‘Relational
care and care interactions’ (CEQ ‘Professional support’). Neither the number
nor positivity of comments appeared to differ between groups.

In this trial of 403 high-risk women with chronic or
gestational hypertension, randomisation to planned early term birth at 38+0–3
weeks (vs. usual care at term) resulted in a similar childbirth experience
overall, by CEQ domain, and whether labour induction or adverse outcomes had
occurred. Just over half of women who responded to the CEQ provided free-text
comments, and most were positive, particularly regarding ‘Relational care and
care interactions’ (CEQ ‘Professional support’ domain). Also, most comments
endorsed the ‘Conceptualising safety’ theme, even when labour induction did not
go as planned. However, it was clear that labour induction was not always
viewed positively, in both arms and across themes of ‘Capacity for autonomy
over care’, ‘Experiences of labour and birth’, and the less frequently-endorsed
themes of ‘Lack of shared decision-making’ and ‘Experience of participating in
research’. Repeatedly, women described logistical issues related to initiation
of labour induction, lack of information, the process not going as they had
expected, uncontrolled pain, and not always being listened to.

For women with chronic or gestational hypertension who
remain well at term gestational age, authors found no difference in childbirth
experience between women randomised to planned early term birth at 38+0–3
weeks’ gestation, compared with usual care at term. This was true regardless of
initiation of birth, mode of birth, or pregnancy outcome, and in directed
content analysis of free-text comments. Based on these findings, shared
decisions about the timing of birth may be more influenced by differences in
clinical outcomes and costs. Additionally, labour induction experiences may be
improved with good information sharing and preparation, to facilitate a sense
of ownership and control of labour.

Source: Sue Tohill, Katie Kirkham,
Eleni Gkini; BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics &
Gynaecology, 2025; 0:1–12 https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-0528.18257