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Delhi-based South Chemists & Distributors Association (SCDA), the pharmaceutical traders' organisation, has once again requested the Union ministry of health and family welfare to take immediate efforts to pull the plug on the online sale of medicines, alleging that the mode of sale poses risk of drug abuse, drug overdose and misuse of prescription and habit forming drugs.
The organisation in a letter to Punya Salila Srivastava, secretary of ministry of health, alleged that with no major action from the government over years, now the quick commerce players like Zepto, Blinkit and PhonePe have joined the existing e-commerce platforms like 1mg, Netmeds, Pharmeasy, Amazon, and Flipkart in selling drugs online.
SCDA has been fighting against the online sales of medicines in the country for several years including through a petition with the Delhi High Court. It said that the Delhi High Court has issued an injunction order on the operations of any entity selling drugs over the internet, on December 12, 2018.
"Still, even after nearly 6 years of the order, the e-pharmacies continue to thrive and sell drugs over the internet in contravention to the Drugs & Cosmetics Act and Rules thereunder and acting against the interest of public health. Our government and the regulatory authorities seem to be unbothered by this activity which is severely hampering the health of our citizens," said the Association.
It alleged that due to this unchecked and unregulated scenario, the e-commerce and the quick commerce players openly advertise free medical consultation anyone can receive if they do not have a prescription.
It argued that the medicines are not ordinary commodities to be delivered like groceries or food and it require strict professional supervision, proper storage conditions, and compliance with prescription protocols.
"The current model of online medicine sales compromises patient safety, increases the risk of misuse, and poses a serious threat to public health. Day by day case of spurious and substandard medicines is increasing because of these online deliveries," alleged the Association.
"We demand the immediate stopping of illegal online pharmacies operating in contravention of the Drugs & Cosmetics Act and acting against the interest of Public Health and Human Rights of our citizens guaranteed under Article 21 – Protection of life and personal liberty under the Constitution of India," it added.
"We expect that our government should immediately make efforts to pull a plug on the online sale of medicines and save put citizens from the risk of drug abuse, drug overdose and misuse of prescription and habit forming drugs," averred the Association.
Apart from approaching the Court against online sale of drugs, the Association has been submitting regular representations in various government departments and ministries like Prime Minister’s Office, Union ministry of health & family welfare, Union ministry of commerce & industry, Union ministry of consumer affairs, Drugs Controller General of India, Drugs Control Department of government of NCT of Delhi, Competition Commission of India and various pharmaceutical manufacturers and companies.
It has also filed case against the initial public offering of API Holdings Ltd, which runs e-pharmacy platform PharmEasy, and issued legal notice to a start up Pharmallama, which was featured in Shark Tank India. PharmEasy, according to the Association, withdrew the application for rolling out the IPO while Pharmallama has shut their operations later.
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