Karnataka Chemists & Druggists Association is now gearing up to extend full support with the All India Organisation of Chemists & Druggists (AIOCD) to participate in the 24-hour bandh to be held on October 14, 2015.
The bandh is being held in protest against online sale of medicines. The Association views that the entry of e-commerce model of sale for medicines is harmful to the general public and pharma industry.
Further, KCDA has categorically stated that sale of medicines via online route is not in accordance with the Drugs & Cosmetics Act & Rules.
In this regard it had communicated to the Karnataka government and the state drugs control office of its intentions to pull the shutters down of all the 27,000 chemists shops across the state.
“Our association is affiliated to the AIOCD and will totally back the bandh following the unanimous decision taken at the 12 managing committee meeting held on September 27, 2015 at Mandya,” said V Harikrishnan, president, Karnataka Chemists & Druggists Association and Bangalore District Chemists and Druggists Association.
The KCDA president was also apologetic to the fact that the nation wide chemist bandh would put the general public and the state government to inconvenience.
“However, keeping in mind the emergency of medicines to the general public, all the pharmacy outlets functioning from all the government and private hospitals and nursing homes were exempted from participating in the bandh, said Harikrishnan.
Earlier, under the banner of Bangalore District Chemists & Druggists Association, Harikrishnan had communicated to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking intervention into the issue of online medicine sale as it mars future of scores pharmacy traders.
Taking cognizance of the online pharmacy practice, Drugs Controller General of India formed a sub-committee led by Dr Harshadeep Kambli, commissioner, Maharashtra Food & Drugs Administration (FDA) and a team of experts from the state drug control departments across India to assess the viability of e-commerce in medicines.