South Chemists & Distributors Association (SCDA) has again called on the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to stop selling medicines online forthwith, highlighting dangers of abuse of drugs, overdose, and misuse of prescription medication. Delhi-based pharma traders' body raised increasing alarms over uncontrolled medicine deliveries through e-commerce and fast commerce portals.

Key Highlights

Source: PharmabizRenewed Appeal to Health Ministry

• SCDA wrote a letter to Punya Salila Srivastava, Secretary, Ministry of Health, urging an online sale of medicines ban.

• The association cautioned that online sales undermine patient safety and public health.

Concerns Over Quick Commerce Expansion

• SCDA pointed out that these newer platforms like Zepto, Blinkit, and PhonePe have joined established e-pharmacy players like 1mg, Netmeds, Pharmeasy, Amazon, and Flipkart.

• It claimed that these players function in defiance of a December 12, 2018, Delhi High Court injunction against online sale of drugs.

Legal and Regulatory Offenses

• SCDA alleged functioning beyond the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, undermining public health, with the continued e-pharmacy operation.

• It raised alarm at free consultations provided without prescriptions, leading to greater abuse of habit-generating drugs.

Threats to Medicines Quality and Public Health

• The association cautioned against increasing instances of fake and substandard drugs attributed to online shipments.

• It highlighted that drugs need professional handling, storage, and adherence to prescription procedures.

Legal Petitions and Government Representations

• SCDA has submitted legal petitions and representations to several government agencies, such as the PMO, health ministry, commerce ministry, DGCI, and Competition Commission of India.

• It also legally threatened API Holdings (parent company of PharmEasy) in its attempt at an IPO and served notice on Pharmallama, which subsequently closed shops.

SCDA persists with its multi-front move to stop the online sale of medicines, alerting the country to regulatory loopholes, health risks, and patient safety. As digital and speedy commerce platforms extend themselves to medicine distribution, controversy surrounding their legality and their impact on public health grows.