Big twist amid warning of nationwide AIOCD strike – Pharmacies will not be closed on May 20, but will remain open. The e-pharmacy controversy, regulator meetings and allegations of conspiracies have made the matter mysterious. Is this a big strategy of the drug market or a hidden game?
India Pharmacy Strike Update: The nationwide strike called by the All India Organization of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) on May 20 had left patients and their families across the country breathless. This largest organization representing more than 12.40 lakh chemists and drug distributors in India had sounded the bugle of a one-day ‘Bharat Bandh’ against online e-pharmacy platforms. As soon as this news came, fear spread whether life-saving medicines would be available on Wednesday or not? This was a major crisis especially for those weak and seriously ill patients who depend on regular medicines. But on Tuesday, there was a turn in this entire incident which gave great relief to the country.
High-voltage meeting in the drug regulator’s office: Decision changed at the last moment
In view of the serious situation of the strike, a very important and long meeting was held between the representatives of AIOCD and the National Drug Regulator. In this meeting, the Chemists Association presented all its legitimate complaints and concerns related to e-pharmacy to the regulator. According to sources, after the meeting, government officials assured the association that the issues raised by them are being actively reviewed and the regulatory framework governing the entire sector is being closely scrutinized. After this positive and concrete assurance from the regulator, the tide changed.
‘Patients’ lives first’: Jan Aushadhi Kendra and Apollo-Pharmacy chain broke the cycle of strike
In view of the serious impact on public health, many major retail pharmacy associations distanced themselves from the strike. Sources have confirmed that all the big pharmacy chains in the country, medical stores attached to hospitals, central government’s Jan Aushadhi Kendras and AMRIT pharmacy outlets will remain fully open on Wednesday, May 20. Keeping the well-being of patients paramount, retail associations of 12 major states and union territories of the country – including West Bengal, Kerala, Punjab, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Ladakh, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Sikkim and Uttarakhand – have given written assurance that they will not be a part of this strike.
After all, why is AIOCD angry with e-pharmacy? Fear of fake prescriptions and AI
This protest of AIOCD is against the rigging taking place without rules in the online medicine business. The association alleges that digital platforms are selling medicines indiscriminately without any physical verification, due to which old prescriptions are being used dangerously. Not only this, due to fake prescriptions being made with the help of Artificial Intelligence (AI), antibiotics and addictive drugs are becoming easily available, which is posing a big threat to the health of the country by increasing ‘Antimicrobial Resistance’ (AMR).
The game of heavy discounts and the threat to the existence of small shopkeepers
Expressing concern over market stability, the trade body said that big corporate companies are disturbing the market balance by giving huge discounts. While the profit margin of common chemists is fixed under the NPPA and DPCO guidelines of the Government of India, these e-pharmacy platforms are creating unfair competition. This is posing a direct threat to the existence of small and independent chemists in rural and semi-urban areas. AIOCD has demanded that the government should immediately withdraw the temporary relaxations (GSR 220(E) and GSR 817(E)) given during the Corona period in 2020 and make a ‘level playing field’ policy for all so that both the safety of patients and the employment of small shopkeepers are preserved.