<p>Bengaluru: Quick-commerce platforms like Blinkit, Swiggy, Instamart and recently Zepto are delivering medicines, especially antibiotics, without valid prescriptions. </p>.<p>They facilitate online consultations by doctors hired by third-party agencies. The doctors prescribe antibiotics for something as simple as common cold. </p>.<p>For certain tablets, a note saying ‘prescription required’ is displayed followed by ‘Don’t have a prescription? Our doctor will provide a quick consultation after ordering’.</p>.<p>The model is followed by Swiggy, Instamart and Zepto. </p>.<p>This DH reporter ordered an antibiotic for which prescription was needed and received a phone call from a doctor. </p>.<p>The doctor asked for basic details like name, age and symptoms and approved a prescription for Azithromycin. The symptoms that were mentioned were only cough and cold. </p>.<p>However, Azithromycin is prescribed when one is diagnosed with viral infection and there is a strain of yellow in phlegm, said Dr Balakrishna G K, HoD and senior <br>consultant, internal medicine at a private hospital.</p>.<p><strong>‘Wrong diagnosis’</strong></p>.<p>“Blood pressure and sugar level can be tested by the patient itself, so follow-ups can be done online. But we make sure that all boxes are ticked and very carefully prescribe antibiotics during online consultation”. </p>.<p>In the prescription by a quick-commerce app, the doctor mentioned the diagnosis as fever without confirming with the caller.</p>.<p>He mentioned about allergies and ongoing medicine as none, without confirming with the caller. </p>.How Bengaluru instamarted in 2025? Rs 68,600 tips to tiny Rs 10 carts.<p><strong>Online pharmacies</strong></p>.<p>Dr Suchismitha Rajamanya, lead consultant and HoD, internal medicine at a private hospital, said, “Taking antibiotics when infection is due to viruses and not because of bacteria will exacerbate antibiotic resistance”. </p>.<p>However, Tata 1mg and Apollo Pharmacy, dedicated online pharmacies, follow other procedures in which patients have to upload valid prescription, a pharmacist checks prescription and if it is found invalid, prescription is rejected, as also the order. </p>.<p>A young diabetes patient said: “These apps can help people like me who travel around and are diagnosed with diabetes, by selling those tablets. This is because we can provide a valid prescription as well and they will save our time and life”. </p>.<p><strong>What dept says</strong></p>.<p>A senior official from the drugs control department said these apps do not require permission from the department as they are only service providers and not stocking up medicine.</p>.<p>“They have tie-ups with pharmacies that will provide them the ordered medicine. They do not stock up,” the officer added.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: Quick-commerce platforms like Blinkit, Swiggy, Instamart and recently Zepto are delivering medicines, especially antibiotics, without valid prescriptions. </p>.<p>They facilitate online consultations by doctors hired by third-party agencies. The doctors prescribe antibiotics for something as simple as common cold. </p>.<p>For certain tablets, a note saying ‘prescription required’ is displayed followed by ‘Don’t have a prescription? Our doctor will provide a quick consultation after ordering’.</p>.<p>The model is followed by Swiggy, Instamart and Zepto. </p>.<p>This DH reporter ordered an antibiotic for which prescription was needed and received a phone call from a doctor. </p>.<p>The doctor asked for basic details like name, age and symptoms and approved a prescription for Azithromycin. The symptoms that were mentioned were only cough and cold. </p>.<p>However, Azithromycin is prescribed when one is diagnosed with viral infection and there is a strain of yellow in phlegm, said Dr Balakrishna G K, HoD and senior <br>consultant, internal medicine at a private hospital.</p>.<p><strong>‘Wrong diagnosis’</strong></p>.<p>“Blood pressure and sugar level can be tested by the patient itself, so follow-ups can be done online. But we make sure that all boxes are ticked and very carefully prescribe antibiotics during online consultation”. </p>.<p>In the prescription by a quick-commerce app, the doctor mentioned the diagnosis as fever without confirming with the caller.</p>.<p>He mentioned about allergies and ongoing medicine as none, without confirming with the caller. </p>.How Bengaluru instamarted in 2025? Rs 68,600 tips to tiny Rs 10 carts.<p><strong>Online pharmacies</strong></p>.<p>Dr Suchismitha Rajamanya, lead consultant and HoD, internal medicine at a private hospital, said, “Taking antibiotics when infection is due to viruses and not because of bacteria will exacerbate antibiotic resistance”. </p>.<p>However, Tata 1mg and Apollo Pharmacy, dedicated online pharmacies, follow other procedures in which patients have to upload valid prescription, a pharmacist checks prescription and if it is found invalid, prescription is rejected, as also the order. </p>.<p>A young diabetes patient said: “These apps can help people like me who travel around and are diagnosed with diabetes, by selling those tablets. This is because we can provide a valid prescription as well and they will save our time and life”. </p>.<p><strong>What dept says</strong></p>.<p>A senior official from the drugs control department said these apps do not require permission from the department as they are only service providers and not stocking up medicine.</p>.<p>“They have tie-ups with pharmacies that will provide them the ordered medicine. They do not stock up,” the officer added.</p>
