Stir against online medicine sale: Close to 26,000 pharmacies to be shut across Karnataka on May 20

The strike called by the All India Organization of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) on Wednesday to protest against the e-sale of medicines and alleged violations of the Drug and Cosmetics Act.

Bengaluru: Around 26,000 chemists across the state and 6,500 in Bengaluru will join the 24-hour nationwide strike called by the All India Organization of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) on Wednesday to protest against the e-sale of medicines and alleged violations of the Drug and Cosmetics Act.

The strike will begin at 12:01 am on Wednesday and continue till the midnight of the next day. About 12.4 lakh chemists are said to take part in the protests across the country.

R Raghunatha Reddy, President of the Karnataka Chemists and Druggists Association (KCDA), told DH, the strike was inevitable as online pharmacies were openly bypassing the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, which prohibits direct home delivery and online sale of medicines. He added that e-pharmacies were flouting price control regulations by offering discounts of 25% to 40%, far beyond the 16% to 20% retail margin fixed for traditional shops, thereby threatening the survival of small retailers.

“Despite multiple representations to the Centre and even favorable High Court orders, the officials have failed to act. This has left us with no choice but to strike,” Reddy stated.

The association has clarified that the emergency services and pharmacies attached to the hospitals will remain open. Patients have also been given advance notice over the past 20 days to stock all the essential medicines, the association said.