Kailash sharma:- AIOCD was constantly alarming Central Government that, Drug Acts, Pharmacy Act, & Other drugs related rules / orders, code of ethics, do not permit sale of medicines on the internet & promotion of drug sales by advertising with discounts and schemes as it can be hazardous to health of public.
Inspite of all legitimate appeals, request, meetings and Hon’ble High Court orders of Delhi, corporate houses were operating illegally with financial power indulging in Predatory Pricing. More dangerous was, since e-pharmacies started operating online sale of drugs crossing borders of states in the country, sudden rise has been started in duplicate & spurious drugs.
Conventional supply chain of medicine traders i.e. Company CNF depot to authorized stokiest to Retail pharmacy was broken by Corporate entities and made supply pipeline vulnerable to porous enough to push duplicate drugs in supply channel.
Secondly, online apps became easy acces to Narcotic drugs, pregnancy termination kits, antibiotics, sedative drugs, and its interstate supply direct to patients, became very difficult to trace & track by state FDA.
AIOCD has always highlighted All burning issues that these illigal E-Pharmacies are creating their own Health data on their portal which was also a threat as to expose of personal health data and it’s also against the PM health data policy of NHRM.
These unethical practises by the Big Corporates have created a question of level playing between small stand-alone pharmacies which are following drug rules and corporate houses supported E-Pharmacies flouting rules, pushing back of small Pharmacies to the wall, by competing with predatory pricing i.e. discounts offers more than margin available to trade.
AIOCD Office Bearers met Hon’ble Health Minister, Government of India, Shri Mansukh Ji Mandaviya. AIOCD President Shri. J. S. Shinde pointed out very strongly trade concerns in reference to illegality of corporate houses backed retail chains and e-pharmacies. AIOCD has over 12 lakh trade members, their 4.00 cr. dependents family & staff population shall unable to survive due to Predatory Pricing and Illegal e-pharmacies.
Hon’ble Minister understood gravity of the concerns of trade and assured required actions against entities selling drugs illegally. DCGI has started issuing showcase notices to illegal Online Pharmacies (copy enclosed) as per the High Court Orders .
AIOCD welcome this decision and expect suitable actions against corporate houses backed e-pharmacies, and predatory pricing policy posing threat to existence of small business owners.
AIOCD shall be vigilant on further actions by DCGI/ State FDAs.
