AICDF sceptical about the intention of CDSCOs show-cause notices to e-pharmacy operators

Chennai, February 28, 2023:

Even as the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD), which claims to have more than 10 lakh members across the country, has repeatedly been urging the Central government to stop the e-pharmacy business in India, the other traders’ group, the All India Chemists and Druggists Federation (AICDF) has opined that the government of India cannot put an end to the online medicine business unless proper guidelines are framed.

The association has alleged that the show-cause notices issued by CDSCO recently to 20 e-pharmacy operators including Tata 1mg, Amazon and Flipkart is mere farce and not with any bona fide intention. The government has full knowledge about the operators and their activities.
 
“Currently, the online pharmacy is being conducted by certain chain-pharmacy groups and some corporate companies without any rule or guidelines, but it is with the knowledge of the government,” Joydeep Sarkar, the national secretary of the AICDF has alleged.
 
West Bengal is the leading state having a strong group of membership for AICDF in India after Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Joydeep Sarkar is also the president of the WB branch.
 
Raising further allegations, the trade leader from Kolkata, who has been fighting for the last 20 years for the rights of pharma traders, has said that the DCGI’s recent circular cannot be implemented. The national drug regulator has issued the direction just to appease somebody and not to end illegal trade of online business. If the CDSCO had any bona fide intention it could have retrained the online traders seven years before. Now the organisation has given directions to the online traders asking them to stop the business is just to assuage the AIOCD which was making attempts to hold one national agitation.
 
“Now illegality is overruling the legal system. If the CDSCO’s plan was bona fide and their attitudes were authentic, why have they waited to issue the direction for more than 60 months? Is it possible for them to implement the rule within 48 hours that they couldn’t do it within 60 months? Their circular is just to appease the AIOCD and they are acting as mere parasites of the trade body. What AIOCD says is done by the CDSCO,” alleged Joydeep Sarkar.
 
While talking to Pharmabiz from Kolkata, Joydeep said AICDF is not against CDSCO or not favouring e-pharmacy. The association has been fighting tooth and nail against online pharmacy business since the business was started in India. But, AICDF will favour once the government frames a rule or guideline for the operation of the business. A supervision and control of a registered medical practitioner is mandatory for the online delivery of medicines. The business has to be regulated by the central regulator under strict vigilance and for it separate guidelines have to be made.
 
Regarding the DCGI’s show-cause notice, Joydeep further said if a person or company has given order to an online trader it is his duty to send the products to the person’s/company’s address. It will happen and will continue as long as there is no proper rule, and the show cause notice can do nothing against the corporate giants who are in the field. Pharmabiz