(This article is authored by Alar)

The Union Ministry of Health is reportedly considering a complete ban on e-pharmacies, including popular platforms like Tata 1mg, NetMeds, Medibuddy, Apollo, and others. This decision comes amidst growing concerns over the potential misuse of digital pharmacies, and just days after the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) sent show-cause notices to more than 20 e-pharmacies, including some of the biggest players in the market.

As per the official report by PTI, major areas of focus include regulating the functioning of e-pharmacies, curbing the unrestrained and irrational use of prescription drugs, and ensuring the privacy of patient data. The New Drugs, Medical Devices and Cosmetics Bill, 2023, has undergone a revised draft and has been sent for inter-ministerial consultation, which states, “The central government may regulate, restrict or prohibit the sale or distribution of any drug by online mode, by notification.”

The proposed bill seeks to replace the existing Drugs and Cosmetics Act of 1940 and gives the central government the power to regulate, restrict, or even prohibit the sale or distribution of any drug through online modes by notification. It reads, “No person shall himself or by any other person on his behalf sell, or stock or exhibit or offer for sale, or distribute, any drug by online mode (e-pharmacy) except under and in accordance with a licence or permission issued in such manner as may be prescribed.”

The Ministry officials have concluded that e-pharmacies offering deep discounts could leave the interests of the common people in the hands of a few online companies, potentially causing approximately 1.25 million retail pharmacies to lose up to 30% of their business.

The government's objective is to increase its control over the unrestricted and irrational usage of prescription drugs while also ensuring the confidentiality of patient data. The proposed regulations come in response to mounting worries about the safety and effectiveness of drugs sold through digital pharmacies, particularly in the absence of appropriate regulatory protocols. The government's decision to regulate or prohibit e-pharmacies is also a reaction to concerns over the privacy and security of patient information.