Chemists to go on indefinite strike from mid-December

Members of the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) will go on an indefinite strike from mid-December as the government has failed to stop the online sale of drugs through various e-pharmacies, an AIOCD official said on Thursday..

The decision came after the association had given one month's time to the government to ban the online sale of drugs, which according to the association, is completely illegal and a violation of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.

"This is enough and our strike is going to be indefinite this time, as the government has not paid heed to our one month time to ban the sale of medicine online," AIOCD's general secretary Suresh Gupta said.

"Inspite of making them understand that how it is risking the customers life, as there is no prescription required to buy drugs online, the government ignored us," Gupta said.

He told IANS: "After the completion of one month, the association had again written a letter to the health ministry and the Prime Minister's Office, but there was no reply from their end, following which the decision of indefinite strike was taken."

Earlier, the association organised a day-long strike on October 14 to protest against the government inaction towards the online sale of drugs, inspite of several proposals by the associations.

India has over eight lakh chemist shops across the country.

Gupta said: "We are going to hold a meeting in first week of December and then decide the exact date from which the strike will start in December."

"Last time due to the assurances by the government and patients' need we had asked some of the chemist shops to open, but this time every chemist shop of the country will be closed," said Gupta.