Chemists across India, including 35,000 from Gujarat, to stage 1-day strike against illegal e-pharmacies

At least 35,000 chemists in Gujarat and around 12.5 lakh chemists, wholesalers, and drug dealers across India will observe a one-day strike on May 20 in protest against illegal e-pharmacies, online medicine sales, and the alleged rise of duplicate and spurious drugs in the market.

The protest has been called by chemist associations demanding stricter regulation of online pharmacies and action against predatory pricing practices by large companies. However, organisers said arrangements would be made to ensure that emergency patients continue to receive medicines during the strike.

According to office-bearers of the Federation of Gujarat State Chemists and Druggists Association, online pharmacies are offering discounts beyond legally permitted trade margins, severely affecting small retailers and independent chemists.

Association leaders alleged that some companies were providing discounts even higher than the margins prescribed under the Drug Price Control Order regulated by the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA).

Chemist representatives also claimed that counterfeit and duplicate medicines were entering the market under the guise of discounted online sales, with fake drugs manufactured outside Gujarat allegedly reaching the state’s supply chain.

The association further alleged that certain online pharmacies were selling psychotropic medicines without valid prescriptions by using prescriptions reportedly issued remotely by doctors based in Hyderabad for customers in cities such as Ahmedabad.

Traders claimed such practices were violating prescription drug regulations and harming traditional pharmacy businesses, which they said had witnessed a decline of 7-8% due to online competition.

The associations have also demanded the withdrawal of special home-delivery relaxations granted to pharmacies during the COVID-19 pandemic, alleging that online medicine platforms continue to misuse those provisions.

In addition, chemists have urged the government to introduce a strict policy against predatory pricing and to intensify action against the manufacture and sale of counterfeit medicines to safeguard both consumers and the pharmaceutical trade.