Chemists' Nationwide Strike Today: Will Access To Medicines Be Hit?

The All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) called a nationwide strike on Tuesday, protesting the unregulated expansion of online pharmacies and medicine delivery platforms. The strike, supported by multiple chemists’ associations, involves over 12.4 lakh chemists and drug distributors and may disrupt access to medicines at lakhs of private stores nationwide. The AIOCD argues that e-pharmacies lack safeguards such as prescription verification, proper documentation for restricted drugs, and secure cold-chain delivery for temperature-sensitive medicines like insulin and vaccines. The strike follows concerns over alleged misuse of digital platforms, including the sale of antibiotics, narcotics, and abortion medication without adequate oversight. Chemists also claim that online pharmacies bypass regulatory frameworks like the 2018 draft notification GSR 817(E), which has yet to be fully implemented. The AIOCD’s General Secretary, Prabhakar Kumar, stated that traditional pharmacies comply with strict record-keeping under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, unlike online platforms where medicines may be accessed more easily, sometimes with fake prescriptions. The Indian government and state authorities have assured patients that essential medicines will remain available through hospital pharmacies, Jan Aushadhi Kendras, AMRIT pharmacies, and major pharmacy chains. These alternatives are expected to operate normally despite the strike. However, chemists warn of potential risks, including counterfeit medicines, improper use of old prescriptions, and unauthorized access to Schedule H drugs through online sales. Industry representatives also highlight concerns about deep discounting by large e-pharmacy companies, which they say threatens the survival of small neighborhood pharmacies. The strike underscores broader tensions between traditional retail pharmacies and the growing digital medicine market, raising questions about patient safety and regulatory enforcement in India’s pharmaceutical sector.