As part of a nation-wide bandh call by All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists, members of the Gulbarga District Chemists and Druggists Association on Wednesday staged a protest against the Union government move to regularise sale of medicine online.
Shops closed
Chemists and druggists took out a protest march from Jagat Circle to the Deputy Commissioner’s office after closing down their establishments and submitted a memorandum addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Jagat Prakash Nadda and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah condemning the proposal of the Union government to allow online medicine sales.
Rising trend
Though online sale of prescription drugs is not included under the provisions of The Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940, given the rising trend of online medicine sale, the Union government is considering such a move, they said.
The members said that online sale of medicine would fail to ensure safety and quality of drugs.
More than eight lakh chemists and about 40 lakh workers are dependent on the pharmaceutical sector, they added.
In Belagavi
Vijaykumar Patil from Belagavi reports:
All retail and wholesale pharmacies, barring those in hospitals, remained closed in Belagavi district. Chemists and druggists, who observed the bandh to oppose sale of medicines through online portals, alleged that online sale was not in accordance with the Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940 and Rules 1945.
‘Online sale of medicine would fail to ensure safety and quality of drugs’
‘More than eight lakh chemists are dependent on the pharmaceutical sector’
