Ordertocancel: Chemists take on epharmacies
MUMBAI: Pharmacy stores across the state handed e-pharmacies a bitter pill with a unique protest against the “sidestepping of government guidelines” by the sector.
These stores have for the past two weeks been placing online orders for medicines and then cancelling the deliveries, according to online pharmacy operators. Nearly two months earlier, 72,000 pharmacies had gone on a day-long strike against the online pharmacy system by the All India Chemist and Druggist Association (AICDA).
The operators said the cancellations have not affected their revenue, but added that they would approach the health and home ministries if the protest starts affecting their business.
Abhay Pandey, national president, All Food and Drugs
License Holders Foundation (AFDLHF)—A national body of manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers of medicines — said their members have been approaching pharmacists to place orders and cancel them on arrival and many of them, across the state, are diligently following the idea.
“We are yet to get exact numbers on how many deliveries have been made, but it’s definitely enough to cause serious financial losses and
logistical nightmares to e-pharmacies. We had no other way as both the Centre and state government is allowing the industry to flourish without ensuring a safe framework for dispensing medicines,” said Pandey. Tushar Kumar, CEO, Medlife—india’ s largest e-pharmacy — said it will approach government bodies if the protest starts affecting the business. “We have noticed a spike in cancellations recently but once an order is placed, we have to deliver despite possibilities of cancellations. E-pharmacies are here to stay and these associations have to understand that we aren’t a threat to their business since we only hold 2-3% of the total market share,” said Kumar. He expects that the protest may die down within a week or two. “Even the pharmacists have a business to run and they can’t keep getting involved in such politicallyinspired tactics,” he added.
These e-pharmacies are regulated under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and Information Technology Act, but there are no separate guidelines for them. The central ministry came out with draft rules on online sale in September . These rules were opposed by wholesaler bodies and chemist associations who cited several loopholes that could be exploited and eventually pose a danger to the common man.