A significant portion of the medical stores in India will be closed on May 20, with chemists taking their agitation against e-pharmacies and business practices to a new level.
This is part of the announcement made by the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD), the largest organisation representing the country’s medicine sellers. According to AIOCD, about 65-70% of the medicine stores are estimated to observe a 12-hour long strike.
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Although there may be essential services provided in some places, accessing medicines will be difficult during the day.
Three demands at the centre of the protest
The strike is anchored around three key demands. The first is a complete halt to online medicine sales, which the organisation claims are operating without adequate regulatory oversight. The second is action against what it describes as “deep discounting” by large corporate chains and e-pharmacy platforms. The third demand calls for stricter enforcement to curb the circulation of counterfeit, adulterated and substandard drugs.
AIOCD leaders argue that aggressive pricing by large platforms is hurting small and medium chemists, while unregulated online sales are increasing the risk of unsafe medicines entering the market.
Concerns over patient safety and prescription norms
At the heart of the protest is the question of patient safety. Chemists allege that medicines are being sold online without proper verification of prescriptions, raising the possibility of misuse.
They have also sought the withdrawal of specific provisions, Sections 220(E) and 817(E) of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules—which, according to them, allow online sales to expand without sufficient checks.
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The organisation maintains that qualified pharmacists play a critical role in ensuring that the right medicines are dispensed correctly—something they say is missing in many online transactions.
Patients warned to prepare in advance
The strikes have left patients worried, especially those with chronic ailments who depend on medicines. They also worry about their accessibility during emergencies.
Medicine experts have told people to stock up on medicine before time in order to avoid problems. However, although some shops might stay open for emergencies, it is not sure if they will.
