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Online sales take a toll on pharmacies
According to estimates, the pharmacy market in India is one lakh crore rupees a month and in Telangana State it is pegged at Rs 20,000 crore a year. Of this the share of retail market is Rs 10,000. A Sridhar, treasurer, Greater Hyderabad Retail Medical Shops Association argues, “Drugs and Cosmetics Act,
Hyderabad: Brick and mortar medical shops are crying foul as online pharmacies are eating into their business. Close to 10,000 pharmacists in Telangana State are a worried lot as sale of medicines online by startups like Bookmeds, Netmeds, 1mg.com, Medstar, Medplus and many more are causing a serious dent into their profits.
According to estimates, the pharmacy market in India is one lakh crore rupees a month and in Telangana State it is pegged at Rs 20,000 crore a year.
Of this the share of retail market is Rs 10,000. A Sridhar, treasurer, Greater Hyderabad Retail Medical Shops Association argues, “Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, does not differentiate between medicines sold offline and online.
There is an immediate need to take a relook at the Act. Scheduled H and X drugs should be sold under the supervision of pharmacists only. We have no problem of online sales of non-scheduled drugs.”
Ramesh Chander Gupta of AP Chemists and Druggists Association, said during the last few years, as far as online pharmacies are concerned, there is no data on the extent of inroads they have made into the retail trade but there is a cause for alarm because of several ethical issues.
While the role of technology cannot be ignored, a level playing field for both traditional stores and online pharmacies needs to be put in place.”
The Telangana Vaidya Vidhana Parishad has about 20-30 distributors registered to supply drugs to government hospitals and about 20 major distributors who garner Rs 2,000 crore business. Sridhar said, “The worst-hit are the small-time players.
Manufacturers give huge discounts that can go up to 30 per cent if large quantities are picked up and this is where online sector can dominate the market.”
Stressing on the need to regulate the policy and restricting the march of online pharmacies, Sridhar said in several instances, especially in the case of combination drugs, sedative drugs, antibiotics, a pharmacist helps the customer buy only that much drugs that is required which is not possible in online sales.
Online pharmacies are now operating with the circular from the Drugs Controller General of India (DGGI) not imposing a ban but seeking strict adherence to the Drugs and Cosmetics Act Rules.
NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Pant in October wrote to the Health Secretary C K Mishra for a level playing field with quality, cost and access as main parameters that would ensure provision of medicines for all.
Meanwhile the All India Organisation of Chemists & Druggists announced a nationwide strike on November 23.
By:T P Venu
