Around 8L pharmacies to remain shut today

Around eight lakh chemist shops across the country will be closed on Friday in protest against the Central government’s move towards regularising e- pharmacies.

The All India Organisation of Chemists & Druggists ( AIOCD), which has about eight lakh members involved in the distribution of medicines across the country, said that the government’s move will lead to an illegal online sale of medicines and an easy opening to an entry of low quality, misbranded, and suspicious medicines.

It also threatened to call an indefinite agitation if there “is no positive response from the government.”

“To sensitise the issue many steps and repeated appeals have been made by AIOCD through memorandums to the concerned authorities and departments. The seriousness of the issue is evident through numerous cases of illegal online sale of medicines by the so- called e- pharmacies and online portals,” said Sandeep Nangia, Organising Secretary, AIOCD.

“And as a cautious step, AIOCD has already observed two Bharat bandhs earlier. If the appeal does not get a positive response from the government, AICOD will not have any other option than to call for a nationwide indefinite agitation,” said Mr Nangia, who is also president, Retailers and Distributors Chemist Association. The health ministry has come out with draft rules on sale of drugs by e- pharmacies with an aim to regulate online sale of medicines across India and provide patients access to genuine drugs from online portals.