India’s chemists go on nationwide strike against e pharmacies and online medicine sales

New Delhi: Chemists across India launched a nationwide strike on Wednesday in protest against e pharmacies and the growing sale of medicines through online platforms.

The agitation, led by the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD), is expected to disrupt supply, with more than 1.24 million private medical stores likely to remain shut.

Chemists’ associations allege that several online pharmacies operate with inadequate regulatory oversight, often dispensing medicines without proper prescription verification and failing to adhere to storage and delivery norms, raising serious patient safety and quality control concerns. They warn that the unchecked rise of online medicine sales may increase the risk of counterfeit drugs, medication misuse and the unauthorised sale of prescription medicines, including narcotics and Schedule H drugs.

Pharmacists point out that traditional chemists are bound by strict provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, which require prescription checks and limit the quantity of medicines that can be dispensed. In contrast, they argue, many e pharmacies bypass such safeguards.

Ravi Kumar, representing the Bihar Chemists and Druggists Association, said uniform regulations must apply to both online and offline pharmacies to protect consumers. President Prasanna Kumar Singh added that many medicines require temperature controlled cold chain storage, which is often compromised in courier based online deliveries, potentially reducing efficacy or making drugs unsafe.

During the strike, Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) Kendras will remain operational, ensuring uninterrupted access to affordable medicines. The PMBJK Retailer Association announced that Jan Aushadhi outlets, including those at major hospitals such as AIIMS and Patna Medical College and Hospital, will continue functioning to avoid hardship to patients.

(Inputs from IANS)