A nationwide pharmacy strike planned for 20 May has been severely weakened after retailer associations in 12 major states, including West Bengal, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, withdrew their support. The pullout followed a decision by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), the national drug regulator, to review retail and online pharmacy operations, according to two officials familiar with the matter, who requested anonymity.
The All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD), representing over 1.2 million retailers, had called for the shutdown to protest the unregulated growth of e-pharmacies. It alleged that e-pharmacy platforms were exploiting pandemic-era regulatory relaxations, using fake, AI-generated prescriptions to dispense habit-forming drugs and fuel antimicrobial resistance.
However, following recent assurances by the CDSCO that these regulatory frameworks are being examined to address concerns, retail pharmacy associations from 12 major states and union territories have officially backed out. These are: West Bengal, Kerala, Punjab, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Ladakh, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Sikkim and Uttarakhand.
As of now, these regional bodies have submitted written guarantees to ensure completely uninterrupted medicine supplies, citing humanitarian duties and patient welfare.
Pharma civil war
The decision by these regional bodies to withdraw from the protest highlights a major disagreement within the pharmaceutical trade community. The AIOCD originally called for the strike to protect the livelihoods of small chemists and their families.
In a detailed memorandum sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the organization expressed deep frustration over a lack of government action regarding their long-standing complaints. They argued that massive corporate online platforms are disrupting the market with unfair, deep discounts, making it impossible for independent pharmacies in small towns and rural areas to compete.
The AIOCD also raised serious public health warnings. They pointed out that a temporary emergency rule introduced during the covid pandemic is still active today, and that online platforms are using it to bypass strict safety laws. The rule was introduced through government notification GSR 220(E), issued on 26 March 2020 under Section 26B of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.
AIOCD said this was leading to the repeated use of single prescriptions, a lack of direct interaction between pharmacists and patients, and the uncontrolled sale of dangerous medicines such as antibiotics without proper checks.
Regulator steps in
In response to these growing tensions, the national drug regulator stepped in to prevent a major breakdown of medical services. Senior CDSCO officials met with representatives from the AIOCD to hear their demands, which include the immediate cancellation of pandemic-era relaxations and a new policy to stop unfair corporate discounts.
The regulator assured the traders that their complaints were being taken seriously, and that the rules governing the entire online and offline pharmacy industry were being checked to protect the interest of shop owners. This promise by the government was enough to convince a majority of the state associations to drop the strike.
While the central AIOCD leadership previously warned it could launch an indefinite strike if its demands were ignored, the decision of these 12 state associations to keep their doors open has significantly reduced the potential impact of the planned protest.
Queries sent to the health ministry spokesperson did not elicit an immediate response.