At a time when the Union Health Ministry is mulling regulations and stringent action against e-pharmacies, Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will hold a meeting with representatives of e-pharmacies soon, said official sources on Wednesday.

“There are concerns over data privacy, malpractices and irrational sale of drugs,” said the source.

“We are against the e-pharmacies business of providing online medicines without prescription but not against the online prescription given by doctors,” the sources added.

It further said, “The Union Ministry of Health is mulling over shutting down digital pharmacies due to concerns like misuse of data, Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and predatory pricing of medicines.”

On February 28, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) wrote a letter to the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) and showed concern over the issue.

“The FICCI e-Pharmacy Working Group, comprising industry leaders, has been relentlessly addressing challenges faced by the sector through various representations, conferences, and knowledge sessions. FICCI has also assisted the industry in developing an ‘e-Pharmacy Code of Conduct’ to ensure high standards of operation. Recently, FICCI published a White Paper titled

“E-pharmacies at COVID-19 Frontline Fighting the Odds, Serving the Nation,” highlighting the crucial role of Pharmacies during the pandemic,” reads the copy of the letter.After letter written by FICCI, the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) wrote a letter to FICCI and said, “Business of e-Pharmacies is against the laws in our country and AIOCD suggests one should not support the illegal business of e-Pharmacies which is detrimental to public health.”

In March, AIOCD stated, “AIOCD immediately contacted FICCI and this is clarified by FICCI that ‘FICCI had requested for a meeting, since no response from the Government, FICCI has not taken any further action.”

“AIOCD immediately wrote to FICCI about this as it amounts to advocating for an illegally operating business. It also contained a statement by Mr Prashant Tandon, CEO, of TATA 1MG that all e-pharmacies are compliant today under the provision of the Drugs & Cosmetics Act” which is absolutely false and misleading to the general public and against the Public Health,” it mentioned further.

AIOCD is an association of medicine traders of India. This apex body represents all State Associations and the collective membership of AIOCD is 12 lakh.