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These days, everything from food and drinks to medicines is available online. People can get things delivered to their homes with just a click. This is why there has been a significant growth in the online pharmaceutical business recently. Medicines ordered through e-pharmacies are often cheaper compared to purchasing them from physical stores. Due to this, organisations associated with medical stores are opposing this process. The Delhi High Court has granted the central government six weeks to consult and deliberate with stakeholders regarding the proposed regulations for e-pharmacies.

The High Court was hearing petitions challenging the published draft regulations by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, which sought to impose a ban on ‘illegal’ online sale of medicines and make amendments to the Drug and Cosmetics Rules. The Court made it clear that the pending cases would not prevent the central government from taking action against those who violate the interim order of the Court issued on December 12, 2018, which had put a halt to the sale of medicines without a license through online pharmacies.

Demand from medical stores
The All India Organization of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) has written a letter to the Cabinet Secretary demanding a ban on online pharmacies. The organization claims that online medicine sellers are violating regulations and putting people’s lives at risk. AIOCD is a powerful association representing nearly 13 lakh chemists and distributors in the country. AIOCD referred to the Delhi High Court’s order from 2018, which had previously imposed a ban on selling injections through an e-pharmacy without a licence. However, e-pharmacies continue to operate despite this order. These e-pharmacies have been running for more than four and a half years.

AIOCD stated that the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Mansukh Mandaviya, had issued a notice asking for reasons for these illegal e-pharmacies, but no action has been taken against them even after the notice was issued. In a signed letter by President J.S. Shinde and Secretary-General Rajiv Singhal, it was mentioned that they had also submitted a written petition to the Joint Drug Controller in 2020, stating that there are no provisions for online pharmacies under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act of 1940 and 1945. The letter also stated that since the issue of online sale of medicines was under the government’s consideration, as per the Delhi High Court’s orders, the online sale of medicines should be immediately stopped.