New Delhi: Online pharmacies in India are facing significant challenges from the government, which is considering a bill that could either ban or restrict their operations. The latest draft of the Drugs, Medical Devices, and Cosmetics Bill, 2023, allows the government to regulate, restrict, or ban the online sale or distribution of drugs through notification. The bill is expected to be presented to the Union Cabinet during the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament. This provision is a change from the previous draft, which proposed allowing e-pharmacies to operate. In response to notices issued by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) earlier this year, online drug sellers, including Amazon and Flipkart Health, were warned that selling drugs through online platforms without a license could compromise drug quality and public health. The All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD), representing pharmacists in India, has also opposed the “illegal business practices and predatory prices” of e-pharmacies. The industry estimates that the market size of e-pharmacies in India was $30 billion in 2022 and is growing at an annual rate of nearly 40 percent. Companies such as Netmeds and 1mg have received significant investments from global investors and industrial groups like Tiger Global Management, Sequoia Capital, Temasek, Prosus, Reliance Industries, and Tata Group.
E-pharmacies Face Challenging Regulations in Government’s New Draft Bill, Limiting Online Sale of Drugs
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