Coronavirus kits to be sold only on doctors' prescription: FDA

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has directed chemists to sell coronavirus kits only on doctors' prescription, an official said on Friday.

The FDA has started regulating the sale and storage of coronavirus kits to prevent hoarding and overpricing, he said.

In an order issued on Thursday, FDA commissioner Arun Unhale said the Maharashtra government and FDA had received several complaints of chemists selling PPE kits and N-95 masks at prices higher than the MRP.

The FDA has also directed chemists to sell PPE kits and masks only on doctors' prescription, a spokesman of the FDA's Konkan division said.

FDA officials have been directed to inspect the stock and storage of kits at manufacturing plants and supply chains and penalise those who hoard the equipment, the order stated.

While no positive case of the novel coronavirus has been detected in Maharashtra till now, the state government is taking all precautionary measures and creating awareness among people about the deadly pathogen.