Chemist shops remain closed across Bihar in protest against online medicine sales

Hundreds of chemist shops remained closed across Bihar on Wednesday in response to a one-day nationwide bandh call given by the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists against online medicine sales and e-pharmacy platforms.

The impact of the shutdown was visible in several districts, including Patna, Nawada, Muzaffarpur, Gaya, East Champaran, Vaishali, West Champaran, Khagaria, Darbhanga, Samastipur, Sasaram, Purnea and Katihar.

''Online e-pharmacy platforms are selling medicines without proper prescription checks and offering discounts that small pharmacies cannot compete with. The government must intervene in the matter,'' Parsan Kumar Singh, president of the Chemists and Druggists Association of Bihar, told reporters.

''The strike has been called to protect small chemists while also keeping patient safety in mind,'' he said.

Singh said online e-pharmacy platforms operating in the country should either be brought under a proper legal framework or shut down completely.

''Under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, there are several provisions governing the sale of medicines through medical stores. There are separate regulations for narcotic medicines, Schedule H1 drugs and other restricted medicines. However, there are no such clear provisions or regulations for e-pharmacies,'' he added.

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