India pharmacy shutdown today affected more than 15 lakh medical stores after the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) called for a nationwide bandh against online medicine sales and growing competition from large corporate-backed pharmacy platforms.
Despite the shutdown, hospital-linked pharmacies and emergency medicine services continued to function to ensure uninterrupted healthcare access for patients.
AIOCD president Jagannath Shinde said relaxations given to e-pharmacies during the Covid-19 pandemic are allegedly being misused. He urged the government to introduce stricter regulations and review existing rules governing online medicine sales.
India pharmacy shutdown today: Why chemists are protesting
“Online medicine sales without strict regulation pose risks to both small chemists and public health,” said Jagannath Shinde, president of AIOCD.
The chemists’ body said unregulated digital medicine sales could harm neighbourhood pharmacies and create public health risks through misuse of fake or invalid prescriptions.
Key demands raised during India pharmacy shutdown today
- Roll back unregulated online medicine sales
- Review and withdraw GSR 220(E) and GSR 817(E) provisions
- Introduce stricter rules for e-pharmacy operations
- Ensure fair competition for local pharmacy owners
According to AIOCD, local medicine sellers are unable to compete with discounts of 20% to 50% offered by online pharmacy companies.
Government response to India pharmacy shutdown today
The Union government said the shutdown would not create a medicine shortage. Reports indicated that pharmacy associations in several states, including Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh, decided not to participate in the bandh.
Officials also confirmed that the country’s drug regulator has started discussions with stakeholders regarding e-pharmacy rules and compliance issues.
Covid-era relaxations under scanner
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the government classified e-pharmacies as essential services and allowed medicine delivery through digital prescriptions shared on platforms such as WhatsApp and email.
Offline chemists now argue that these temporary relaxations created long-term regulatory gaps that require urgent review.
