AIOCD Strike Against Online Medicine Sales Draws Massive Participation Nationwide

New Delhi: A nationwide one-day token strike called by the All India Organisation of Chemists & Druggists (AIOCD) against illegal online sale of medicines, uncontrolled discounting practices and alleged misuse of regulatory provisions by e-pharmacy platforms witnessed widespread participation across the country on Tuesday.

According to a press note issued by the organisation on May 20, 2026, chemists and druggists across districts in India kept their establishments closed in response to the strike call given by AIOCD and various state chemists and druggists associations.

The nationwide protest was organised against what the pharmaceutical trade body described as “illegal and uncontrolled online sale of medicines”, sale and home delivery of medicines without valid prescriptions and aggressive deep discounting practices adopted by online medicine platforms.

The Association alleged that these activities were adversely impacting lakhs of small and licensed chemists while simultaneously posing risks to patient safety and public health.

AIOCD President J S Shinde and General Secretary Rajiv Singhal stated that during the strike, memorandums addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi were submitted through Divisional Commissioners, District Collectors, Sub-Divisional Magistrates and Tehsildars across the country.

According to the Association, the memorandum raised three major concerns:

• Illegal and unregulated online sale of medicines
• Sale and home delivery of medicines without valid and verified prescriptions
• Predatory deep discounting by online medicine platforms affecting retail chemists

The organisation also demanded immediate withdrawal of GSR 817(E) and GSR 220(E), alleging that these provisions were being misused by online medicine platforms and quick-commerce operators to facilitate uncontrolled online sale of medicines.

The chemist body asserted that medicines cannot be treated like ordinary commercial commodities and warned that online sale without proper prescription verification posed a serious threat to public health, patient safety and the regulatory framework established under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.

The pharmaceutical trade further reminded the government that during the COVID-19 pandemic, chemists across India had functioned as frontline healthcare support providers and ensured uninterrupted medicine supply to patients despite difficult circumstances.

AIOCD stated that despite repeated representations and submission of evidence regarding alleged illegal online operations, effective regulatory action had not yet been taken by authorities.

The Association urged the Central Government to take immediate corrective steps in the larger interest of patient safety, public health and protection of livelihoods of lakhs of licensed chemists and employees dependent on the pharmaceutical retail sector.

The organisation also stated that although the strike was observed nationwide, emergency and essential medicines continued to remain available to needy patients as part of the humanitarian responsibilities of the chemist fraternity.

According to the press note, the strike remained peaceful throughout the country and received overwhelming support from chemists and druggists nationwide. The Association claimed that retail establishments across districts extended unanimous support to the movement against online sale of medicines without regulatory safeguards.