Patients across India may experience disruptions in routine medicine purchases on May 20, as over 1.24 million chemists are preparing for a nationwide shutdown. This protest is organized by the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) to oppose the online sale of medicines and the deep discounting practices of e-pharmacy platforms.
The AIOCD has raised concerns regarding patient safety due to the unregulated nature of online medicine sales. The organization alleges that medications are being delivered without proper verification processes, which can enable the misuse of prescriptions and increase accessibility to antibiotics and habit-forming drugs. They also warned that the rise of AI-generated fake prescriptions and uncontrolled sales could exacerbate the issue of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
Additionally, the AIOCD has opposed the continuation of Covid-era relaxations under G.S.R. 220(E), arguing that digital platforms are utilizing temporary provisions to circumvent established drug regulatory safeguards. The organization has called for the withdrawal of both G.S.R. 220(E) and G.S.R. 817(E), which pertain to e-pharmacy operations.
Retail pharmacists have expressed concerns that aggressive discounting strategies employed by large online platforms threaten the viability of local chemists, especially in rural and semi-urban areas where neighborhood pharmacies serve as primary healthcare access points. The AIOCD estimates that nearly 50 million people dependent on the pharmaceutical trade could be negatively impacted.
AIOCD president J.S. Shinde and general secretary Rajiv Singhal emphasized that the issue transcends mere commercial interests, highlighting it as a question of patient safety. They warned that the protest could escalate if no action is taken before the scheduled shutdown on May 20.
Despite the shutdown, chemist associations have assured that emergency medications will still be available in various regions.
