Joining the countrywide strike are more than 25,000 pharmacies, drug stores, wholesale suppliers of medicines across Karnataka. The strike will not be applicable to pharmacies attached to the hospitals.
Deccan Herald’sSmriti Sharma Vasudeva spoke with V Harikrishnan, president, the Karnataka Chemists & Druggist Association and The Bangalore District Chemists & Druggist Association, on the upcoming bandh and its impact on the pharmacy industry as well the general public.
On the cause: Sale of medicines online is a direct violation of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940 which clearly states that prescription is required from a registered medical practitioner to buy medicines or drugs. No doubt, sale of medicines like this will definitely hit the industry. In the given scenario, how are we to compete with them to survive.
On the impact: Sale of drugs and medicines are harmful for the people who are buying it. Buying medicine like that increases the risk of adverse drug reactions/side-effects for the person consuming it. There are several medicines which can be habit forming and can have lasting impact on one's body functions.
Also, with the sale of medicine through web portals, it will be easy to sell low quality, unbranded and spurious medicines without any checks and regulations.
Selling other goods, clothes etc., online is fine but medicines have to be treated separately and cannot be categorised as online items on sale.
Karnataka aspect: We have had meetings with Health Minister U T Khader and he has assured us he would to look into the matter.
Published 10 October 2015, 17:02 IST