Local pharmacy shut today? Here's how you can still get medicines despite chemists' strike

Several major pharmacy chains, hospital-based medical stores, Jan Aushadhi Kendras and AMRIT outlets will remain open across the country on Wednesday despite a nationwide strike called by the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD).

The development is expected to ensure that patients are able to buy medicines without significant disruption in most parts of the country.

The AIOCD, which represents around 12.4 lakh chemists, pharmacists and drug distributors, has called the one-day strike to protest against what it describes as regulatory gaps that have allowed e-pharmacies and quick-delivery medicine platforms to operate without adequate oversight.

However, several state-level retail pharmacy associations have opted out of the protest and submitted written assurances that they will keep their member stores operational.

Retail pharmacy associations from West Bengal, Kerala, Punjab, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Ladakh, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Sikkim and Uttarakhand have informed authorities that they will not participate in the strike and will ensure uninterrupted medicine supplies, reported PTI, citing people familiar with the matter.

"Any disruption in the functioning of chemist shops has the potential to cause serious inconvenience to patients, particularly vulnerable groups dependent on regular access to life-saving and essential medicines, besides impacting critical medical supply chains," PTI quoted a person cited above as saying.

Recognising this, several associations reviewed the matter and expressed satisfaction over the regulator's constructive response, the sources added.

A senior official of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) said public health and patient access to medicines remain paramount and that dialogue remains the preferred way to address concerns while ensuring uninterrupted healthcare services.

The AIOCD has demanded withdrawal of two notifications -- GSR 220(E) and GSR 817(E).

GSR 817(E), issued as a draft notification in 2018, proposed a regulatory framework for e-pharmacies, including registration requirements, prescription verification norms and penalties for violations. The draft was neither formally notified nor withdrawn.

According to the AIOCD, this has enabled online pharmacies to continue operating without a clear legal framework.

GSR 220(E), introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic, allowed registered pharmacies to deliver medicines to consumers' doorsteps.

The chemists' body argues that while the measure was justified during the pandemic, it is now being used by e-pharmacies to continue operations without dedicated regulations governing online medicine sales.

Representatives of the AIOCD recently met the national drug regulator and submitted concerns regarding the functioning and regulation of e-pharmacies.

While some independent chemist shops may remain shut in certain areas, medicine availability is expected to remain largely unaffected due to the continued operation of organised pharmacy chains, hospital stores and government-supported outlets.