Chemists’ strike May 20 but hospital pharmacies to remain open
Chemists’ strike across India has been called by AIOCD over e-pharmacy regulations, though hospital pharmacies and Jan Aushadhi stores will remain operational.
The association has called for a strike against the e-pharmacies operating between legal loopholes. (Image generated using AI) With the All India Association of Chemists and Druggists, the country’s largest medicine retailers’ body, deciding to go on a nation-wide strike on Wednesday, sources in the government said that the impact is likely to be limited. They said all hospital pharmacies and pharmacy chain-stores will remain open. Stores opened under government schemes such as Jan Aushadhi Kendra and Amrit stores will also remain open.
The association has called for a strike against the e-pharmacies operating between legal loopholes. They have called for withdrawal of two notifications GSR 220 E and GSR 817 E.
“There is rigorous regulation of e-pharmacies that is why we have called for two of the government notifications to be withdrawn. The 2018 draft regulation has remained a draft and has been under review for nearly eight years now,” said Rajiv Singhal, general secretary of AIOCD.
The GSR 817 E draft notification tried to create a framework for the operation of e-pharmacies in India, instituting a process for their registration, norms that have to be followed, check and balances that they needed to have such as verifying the authenticity of a prescription, and a way to take action against these pharmacies for violating the norms. With this not having been notified, the e-pharmacies operate without any legal framework.
The GSR 220 E was notified amidst the pandemic allowing pharmacies with a registration to provide door-step delivery. This is now exploited by e-pharmacies, says Singhal. He adds: “This was an emergency measure for the pandemic. This notification should now be withdrawn and a proper framework should be established for the e-pharmacies.”
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