Medicine retailers of Odisha on Wednesday joined the nation-wide strike by associations of chemists and druggists to protest against online sale of drugs.
More than 18,500 drug stores remained closed while agitating chemists and druggists under the banner of Utkal Chemists and Druggists Association (UCDA) allowed 135 on-campus stores to remain open during the day-long protest.
“The Centre is keen to promote e-commerce of medicines. But the move directly violates the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940,” said Chaudhury Prabir Das, UCDA general secretary.
Mr Das said: “The section 65(10)(A) of the Act clearly mentions that one can purchase medicine after showing the doctor’s prescription from the medicine retail stores. The section 65(10)(B) of the Act says that prescription should carry the patient’s name and address. However, such rules cannot be followed in case of online trading of medicines. Therefore, such move is not appropriate unless amendment is made to the present Act.”
According to UCDA, toxic drugs are prescribed by the doctors for patients suffering from psychological disorders, cancer and those who are yet to or have undergone surgery. There are 68 types of molecule-based toxic drugs available in India. It is believed there will be no restriction on purchasing the drugs online.
“Apart from danger of misuse of drugs, lakhs of people depending on medicine retailing would lose their livelihood. The Narendra Modi government has surrendered itself before big corporate who want to establish their monopoly in the sector by way of bringing an amendment in the law,” said Prasanta Mohapatra, UCDA president.
Mr. Mohapatra said the move of the Central government would be resisted by associations. Due to closure of medicine stores, people had a harrowing time. Many people from rural pockets travelled more than 100 km to get medicines from on-campus stores.
PTI adds:
Pharmacies in Assam remained closed on Wednesday as chemists and druggists joined the nation-wide strike by All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists to protest against e-pharmacies.
Members of All Assam Drug Dealers Association (AADDA) kept their shops shut today in support of the day-long nation-wide strike, its general secretary B. Choudhury said.
The proposed e-pharmacies would facilitate easy collection of harmful drugs by youths and the standard of medicines may deteriorate, he alleged. Further, life-saving medicines may become scarce in villages and several lakh families which depend on medicine retailing will be directly affected by the Centre’s move to introduce online sale of drugs, he added. Under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, only registered pharmacists are permitted to sell drugs on producing a valid prescription. - PTI
