Hyderabad: Telangana Chemists and Druggists Association (TTCDA) will take part in a bandh on May 30 called by All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists to protest against online pharmacy and sale of medicines through e-portals.
R. Srinivas, general secretary of TTCDA, said, “We are urging the governments at the Centre and at the state to not allow the e-retail system in medicals as it would be a lot of inconvenience to customers. In many villages and remote areas basic infrastructure like power and Internet connection are missing. When a patient walks in to a pharmacy to buy medicines, he will have to wait for a longer time till the retailer finishes the formalities of doing online registration and giving away the medicines, so the process is time consuming.”
S. Venkatapathi, president of TTCDA said, “Online sellers do not have licenses and they do not comply with norms set by the Medical Council of India (MCI).”
He noted, “The Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940 (Rule 1945) Section 64(2) provides certain parameters for issuing licenses by which is neglected.”
The proposed additional fee for operational charges or operating E-platform will be an extra burden on retailers and wholesalers.
Average business revenue is not sufficient to invest in required basic infrastructure as proposed in public notice. If the proposed public notice is enacted then there will be no other alternative apart from shutting down the establishments, added the president.
