The government may soon allow the retail sale of Tamiflu, the only drug available to treat swine flu. A senior Health Ministry official said Tamiflu could be sold through 480 select drug outlets across the country.

Health officials are gearing up for what could be a decisive stage in fighting swine flu. From next week, Tamiflu will be on sale at ordinary chemist shops. But concerns remain. Despite the stringent conditions for sale, some doctors worry it could be misused.

"We are very happy that it is much easier to get it now. But one must remember not everyone needs to be treated with Tamiflu, caution for that," said Dr Sandeep Budhiraja, specialist, Max Hospital.

The private outlets will have to procure their own Tamiflu. The government won't release any from its stock of 40 million tablets.

The government pays about Rs 270 per strip of 10 Tamiflu tablets. But there is a worry that in the open market, the tablet could cost more. It's not clear yet if the government will step in to regulate its cost. Tamiflu has always been sold over the counter in the West.

India has now gone in for this, because of a potential second wave of infections and despite fears that over use could make it ineffective to counter the H1N1 virus.

But still, Tamiflu won't be easy to buy. One will need a prescription from a doctor. It will be available only with select chemists. Private hospitals and selected outlets will have to maintain a record of who the drug has been prescribed to, which will be periodically examined by health officials.