CDSCO Advises States to Prevent Drug Scarcity During AIOCD E-Pharmacy Strike

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) on Tuesday issued an advisory to all State and Union Territory Drugs Controllers, asking them to take all possible measures in public interest to prevent scarcity of drugs following the proposed strike announced by the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) on May 20 with regard to their concerns over the operation of e-pharmacies.

The directive follows a high-level coordination meeting convened earlier this week in which CDSCO brought together regulatory officials from every State and UT to assess readiness and devise contingency plans.

Read more: Online medicine sale fight: 20,000 chemists in Karnataka to halt work May 20

The authority acknowledged and commended the proactive steps already taken by State Drug Controllers ahead of the strike.

The advisory explicitly directed all state authorities to ensure that no pharmacy is compelled to close its operations, and instructed officials to coordinate with police authorities and district administrations to guarantee that willing chemists can keep their shutters open without fear of coercion or intimidation.

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Officials have also been tasked with sustained engagement with local chemist associations to negotiate keeping at least a few medical shops operational in each locality a move designed to prevent medicine deserts in residential areas where large hospitals or chain pharmacies may not be easily accessible.

Continuous monitoring of the situation across districts has been mandated to flag and swiftly address any disruption in the medicines supply chain or healthcare delivery.

Read more: All major pharmacy chains, hospital-based medical stores, Jan Aushadhi Kendras to remain open on May 20

The advisory reiterated that “uninterrupted public access” to medicines is the “foremost priority” and that unnecessary public inconvenience should be avoided.

The States have also been asked to disseminate the measures taken to prevent scarcity of the medicines to the public along with the contact details of the local Drug officials whom the public may approach in case of emergency.

“Further, the public may be informed that Government hospital pharmacies, Jan Aushadhi Kendras, Government-supported medical stores, private hospital pharmacies, chain pharmacies and other non-participating pharmacy establishments will continue to function,” it further said.

The AIOCD strike, backed by chemists and druggists across the country reflects long-standing grievances within the retail pharmacy sector.

According to the AIOCD illegal e-pharmacies and deep discounting have put the livelihood of 50 million dependents at risk.

Rajiv Singhal, General Secretary of All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists, asserted that the agitation will persist until the withdrawal of G.S.R. 220(E) and G.S.R. 817(E), and demanded strict Government intervention against predatory deep discounting by corporate-led online pharmacies.