KRPDO sees e-pharmacy in New Drugs Bill to topple future of brick and mortar stores

Bengaluru, August 25, 2022:

The Karnataka Pharma Retailers & Distributors Organization (KPRDO) is of the view that the e-pharmacy in draft of New Drugs, Medical Devices and Cosmetic bill, 2022 will topple future of brick & mortar stores. These are primarily on the new business model of e-pharmacies which have taken off well in the absence of regulations.

The presence of e-pharmacies along with the existing pharmacy outlets will mar the future of scores of pharmacies, noted KPRDO.

The concept of a pharmacy profession gets diluted as the e-pharmacy platform begins to gain ground. Medicines are advertised like commodities via advertisement on television, radio and social media platforms. The emphasis is given only on discount and fast deliveries also cross marketing in terms of coupon codes for customers luring customers to buy medicines even if not needed, said C Jayaram, president, Karnataka Pharma Retailers & Distributors Organization in his suggestions.

Yet another scene is that several manufacturers are known to supply medicines directly to doctors and hospitals. There are some companies which do not bill medicines to retailers but directly to patients depriving pharmacist and breach in the safety of patient’s health for lack of supervision, he added.

We grossly object to this. E-pharmacies are selling medicines online by adhering to Information Technology Act [IT ACT] not to Drugs and Cosmetic Act. The e-pharmacy rules are still in the draft stage, but online platforms are selling medicines like FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) products and not in accordance to the licensing conditions. In fact, they outsource drug license and sell medicines across the country posing difficulty to regulators if two states are involved in one transaction, he pointed out.

E-pharmacy players resort to high spends, offer deep discounts to patients which is a monopolistic practice to slay offline indigenous medical retail or brick & mortar stores which operate almost 12 to 13 hours and are across every nook and corner of the country to serve people with quality medicines over the last 75 year. But now with the e-pharmacies storming in these may extinct due to predatory pricing by online players who mostly work with venture funding and private equity investors. This is expected to put an end to the existing supply chain of medicines. Hence our suggestions is to ensure government takes cognisance and under the strict supervision of a qualified pharmacist medicines are dispensed, he stated.

Hence advertisement and offering discount’s should not be allowed and good distribution practices should be followed to maintain the efficacy of drugs till it reaches customers. The draft regulations should further bring in stringent action for wrong storage of medicines Other than pharmacists none should be authorised to sell medicines in retail stores. Even in the wholesale distribution, a competent person can be allowed to dispense medicines after completion of a certificate course on the basis of experience not less than 3 years.

Stock audits are should be mandated and should be conducted at the manufacturers’ premises to wholesalers. Further, the consent for prescription audits at retail pharmacies will strengthen the quality control practises and controls spurious and misbranded drugs. We suggest stock audits for a period of 2 to 3 years after it streamlines then prescription audits should start in the interest of pharma fraternity, said Jayaram. Financial Express