NEW DELHI: Over 12.4 lakh chemists and pharmaceutical distributors across India are set to observe a one-day nationwide shutdown on May 20, potentially disrupting access to routine medicines for millions of patients.
The All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD), which represents the sector, has called the protest to highlight concerns over the unregulated operations of online pharmacy platforms, persistent Covid-era regulatory relaxations, and aggressive deep discounting by large corporate-backed players.
Core Issues Fueling the Protest
The AIOCD argues that the rapid expansion of e-pharmacies poses significant risks to patient safety and the sustainability of traditional retail pharmacies. According to the organisation, many online platforms deliver medicines without adequate prescription verification, enabling repeated use of old prescriptions and easier access to antibiotics and habit-forming drugs.
They have also raised alarms about the potential for AI-generated fake prescriptions, which could exacerbate antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
A key demand is the immediate withdrawal of two government notifications: G.S.R. 220(E), issued on March 26, 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic to facilitate uninterrupted medicine access through doorstep delivery, and G.S.R. 817(E), linked to e-pharmacy operations.
G.S.R. 817(E) is a 2018 draft notification from India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare proposing amendments to the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945, to regulate online pharmacies (e-pharmacies). It requires e-pharmacies to register, verify prescriptions, and operate under strict oversight, but it remains a heavily debated draft.
Why It Remains Heavily Debatable?
•Antibiotic Misuse: Automated prescription scanning allows users to reuse identical medical slips across multiple apps, worsening global antibiotic resistance.
•Prescription Forgery: Digital platforms struggle to accurately detect sophisticated, AI-manipulated, or fake medical notes uploaded by consumers.
•Cold-Chain Failure: Courier-based shipping networks frequently fail to maintain precise, temperature-controlled transit for delicate medicines like insulin.
•Predatory Pricing: Heavily funded corporate apps offer steep digital discounts that family-owned, mom-and-pop pharmacies cannot financially match.
•Asymmetrical Rules: Physical shops face intense, constant local state inspections, while digital apps leverage loose central rules to operate nationwide.
Although it is only a draft, e-pharmacy platforms are allegedly citing or operating under the shadow of this notification to justify online sales of medicines. Traditional chemists argue this allows digital platforms to bypass key safeguards under the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules (particularly Rule 65), such as mandatory physical verification of prescriptions by qualified pharmacists.
AIOCD claims this vacuum enables unregulated or “illegal” sales, including repeated use of old prescriptions, easy access to antibiotics, habit-forming drugs, and risks from AI-generated fake prescriptions.
The association believes that leaving the draft in limbo (for over 7–8 years) has allowed e-pharmacies to flourish without proper oversight or enforcement. They argue that withdrawing the draft would send a clear signal, close the loophole, and force either a complete ban on unregulated online sales or the introduction of a strict, finalized regulatory framework that applies uniformly to all players.
The COVID-era notification (GSR 220(E) from March 2020) was meant as a temporary measure for doorstep delivery during lockdowns. Chemists claim its continued use, alongside the 2018 draft, further weakens enforcement and gives online platforms an unfair advantage through deep discounting and lax prescription checks.
The chemists contend that these temporary measures have been exploited by digital platforms to bypass standard safeguards under existing drug regulations, such as those requiring qualified pharmacists and proper documentation.
Deep discounting by major e-pharmacy platforms is another major flashpoint. Traditional retailers claim these practices create an uneven playing field, threatening the viability of neighbourhood pharmacies, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas where local chemists often serve as the primary point of healthcare access and advice.
Organized, corporate-backed digital platforms use massive capital to offer 20% to 60% deep discounts. Independent shops operating on strict statutory trade margins cannot compete.
Conventional retailers are bound by rigid compliance rules. They argue e-pharmacies exploit a “regulatory grey area” to bypass traditional physical audits.
Scale of Impact and Livelihood Concerns
The AIOCD estimates that nearly five crore people depend on the pharmaceutical trade for their livelihoods, including chemists, distributors, and support staff. AIOCD president J.S. Shinde and general secretary Rajiv Singhal have emphasised that the issue extends beyond commercial interests.
They stated, “not merely a matter of trade, but of patient safety.” The leaders warned that the agitation could escalate if the government does not address their concerns before the May 20 deadline.
State-level associations, such as the Karnataka Chemists & Druggists Association, have confirmed participation, with around 26,000 medical stores in that state alone expected to join the shutdown.
In Gujarat, over 35,000 retail chemists across the state have declared a full suspension of services.
Maharashtra is also supporting the protest, with a complete shutdown backed by regional chemist bodies. Large-scale retail and wholesale closures are expected across Mumbai, Pune, and Nagpur.
Pharmacists and medical retailers across Tripura are joining the nationwide strike on May 20 called by the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) to protest against unregulated e-pharmacies and deep corporate discounts.
Assurances for Emergencies and Patient Impact
Organisers have assured that emergency medicines and critical supplies will remain available in many areas during the shutdown to minimise hardship for patients requiring urgent care. However, routine purchases of chronic illness medications, over-the-counter drugs, and other essentials could face significant delays, especially in smaller towns and regions reliant on physical pharmacies.
This protest underscores the ongoing tension between traditional brick-and-mortar pharmacies and the growing digital healthcare ecosystem. While consumers often benefit from the convenience, competitive pricing, and home delivery offered by e-pharmacies, traditional chemists argue that inconsistent enforcement of regulations undermines public health standards and small businesses.
The AIOCD has called for a comprehensive policy framework that ensures a “level playing field,” including stricter compliance standards for all players, physical and online and measures to curb predatory pricing.
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