New delhi. The All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD), representing over 12.40 lakh chemists across India, has written to Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah seeking urgent action to curb the illegal online sale and instant delivery of prescription medicines by certain E-Pharmacies and Quick Commerce platforms such as Zepto and Blinkit.
AIOCD President J S Shinde and General Secretary Rajiv Singhal informed that despite the Hon’ble Delhi High Court’s injunction and clear provisions of the Drugs & Cosmetics Act, these platforms are delivering Schedule H/H1/X medicines within minutes — without proper prescription checks — posing a grave threat to public health and fueling drug abuse, especially among youth.
Key Concerns Highlighted by AIOCD:
• Ghost Prescriptions — Medicines prescribed without genuine verification (e.g., midnight prescriptions issued for distant patients).
• No Prescription Monitoring — Habit-forming drugs delivered without scrutiny, enabling substance abuse.
• Misuse for Addiction — Easy online access to medicines like Pregabalin leading to sharp rise in misuse.
• Law Evasion for Profit — Foreign-funded start-ups treating medicines like ordinary commodities, undermining India’s domestic market and creating unemployment.
AIOCD President J S Shinde and General Secretary Rajiv Singhal have stressed that offline chemists face strict regulation, but illegal online players remain unchecked, leading to a 55% surge in drug abuse. The misuse of Telemedicine Guidelines to bypass safeguards has worsened the situation. AIOCD’s Urgent Requests to the Government:
• Immediate ban on online sale & 10-minute delivery of Schedule H/H1/X medicines.
• Closure of e-pharmacies violating the Drugs & Cosmetics Act.
• Strict enforcement to protect youth from the dangers of addiction.
• “This is not just about regulation, it’s about protecting the nation’s health and future. We fully support Shri Amit Shah Ji’s mission of Ek Yudh Nashe Ke Viruddh and stand ready to assist the government in ending this menace,” the AIOCD leadership stated.
“STOP THE DRUG TRADE – AIOCD Stands Strong with the Nation” For All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists.