BY TC News Desk
Agartala, 12th August 2025: The All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD), representing over 12.4 lakh chemists nationwide, has formally urged Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah to take immediate action against the illegal online sale and rapid delivery of prescription medicines by certain e-pharmacies and quick commerce platforms, including Zepto and Blinkit.
In a letter addressed to the Home Minister, AIOCD President J S Shinde and General Secretary Rajiv Singhal expressed grave concern over the violation of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and the Delhi High Court’s injunction, citing rampant delivery of Schedule H, H1, and X medicines without proper prescription checks. The organisation warned that such practices pose a serious threat to public health and are contributing to rising drug abuse, particularly among youth.
The key issues raised by AIOCD: Medicines are being prescribed without genuine verification, often at odd hours for distant patients; Habit-forming drugs are delivered without scrutiny, enabling substance abuse; Easy access to drugs like Pregabalin has led to a sharp increase in misuse; and Foreign-funded startups are treating medicines as ordinary commodities, undermining domestic chemists and contributing to unemployment.
AIOCD leaders emphasized that while offline chemists operate under strict regulatory oversight, online platforms continue unchecked, resulting in a reported 55% surge in drug abuse. They also flagged the misuse of telemedicine guidelines to bypass essential safeguards.
The demands to the government: Immediate ban on online sale and 10-minute delivery of Schedule H/H1/X medicines; Closure of e-pharmacies violating the Drugs and Cosmetics Act; and Stringent enforcement to protect youth from addiction.
“This is not just about regulation—it’s about safeguarding the nation’s health and future,” the AIOCD leadership stated, pledging full support to Shri Amit Shah’s campaign Ek Yudh Nashe Ke Viruddh.
In a press communiqué issued today, ATCDA President Samar Kumar Bhowmik and General Secretary Biswajit Saha echoed the call for decisive government intervention, declaring: “STOP THE DRUG TRADE – AIOCD Stands Strong with the Nation.”
