Online pharmacies can be permitted to operate only if a stringent guidance is introduced in the Amendment Bill, 2015 of Drugs & Cosmetics Act & Rules thereunder, said Dr. BR Jagashetty, former national advisor (drugs control) to ministry of health & family welfare and former Karnataka drugs controller.

In an era of computerisation which has made all transactions and services convenient, online pharmacies is the way forward for India which is known for its information technology capabilities particularly in software development globally. When there are online options for booking doctor’s appointment, accessing pathology lab reports, payment of taxes, service bill and purchase of goods-commodities which have transformed the daily life of the Indian population, online pharmacies can co-exist with a set of strict rules, he added.

The practice of online pharmacies is in vogue in the West with global regulators issuing a formal guidance. This has put in place a system to trap the fraudsters and non compliant drugs for sale. For instance, in the US, Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites (VIPPS) mandates all online pharmacies need to be certified by this body. The accreditation is recognised as reliable for the public to differentiate between genuine and illegal online pharmacies.

Similarly, the European Union too, has issued a common logo for legally operating online pharmacies/retailers in the EU Member States with its Directive 2011/62/EU under the Falsified Medicines Directive as one of the measures to fight against falsified drugs. Therefore, it is only pertinent for India to have certain rules for online pharmacies. In the absence of any rules, online pharmacies should be banned, Dr Jagashetty told Pharmabiz.

 Recently Snapdeal, Medybiz and VLN Nirman Pharma among others which conspired the services for online pharmacy along with their wholesale distribution business have led to cancellation of their licenses by the concerned state drugs control department to curb such activities in the interest of the consumer’s health and safety.

“India needs to frame rules immediately and the licenses for such online pharmacies should be sought from the CDSCO only with a hefty fee along with an annual renewal provision. There should also be a suitable punishment for offenders”, he said.

During his tenure as National Adviser, Dr. Jagashetty had insisted to put in place relevant provisions in the Act and later to incorporate certain provision under the D&C Rules while carrying out the amendments. But this was not possible immediately because of a lack of consensus. However, he is confident, that the government of India would consider this positively and frame suitable rules in the interest of the patient’s health.

In the present scenario, when the government is keen to move on to total computerisation of operations to ensure efficiency and transparency, the Ministry of health and family welfare through the DSCO needs to consider same. Moreover, with a growing single home geriatric population who need constant access to medication, online pharmacies are seen to be way forward for India, said Dr Jagashetty.