Chemists' Body Warns of 55% Rise in Drug Abuse, Calls for Ban on 10-Minute Prescription Drug Delivery
New Delhi: Speaking up against a worrying circumstance, the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD), representing over 12.40 lakh chemists across India, has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah seeking urgent action to curb the illegal online sale and instant delivery of prescription medicines by certain e-pharmacies and quick commerce platforms such as Zepto and Blinkit.
Setting a clear voice against the growing menace of illegal e-pharmacies and quick commerce platforms (Zepto, Blinkit, etc.) delivering scheduled prescription medicines within 10 minutes—in blatant violation of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and despite the Hon'ble Delhi High Court's injunction—the AIOCD declares, "STOP THE DRUG TRADE—AIOCD Stands Strong with the Nation."
AIOCD President J. S. Shinde and General Secretary Rajiv Singhal informed that despite the Hon’ble Delhi High Court’s injunction and clear provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, these platforms are delivering Schedule H/H1/X medicines within minutes—without proper prescription checks—posing a grave threat to public health and fueling drug abuse, especially among youth.
Stressing the fact that offline chemists face strict regulation, but illegal online players remain unchecked, AIOCD President J. S. Shinde and General Secretary Rajiv Singhal have expressed concerns that this is leading to a 55% surge in drug abuse. The misuse of telemedicine guidelines to bypass safeguards has worsened the situation.
Schedule H, H1, and X drugs are prescription-only medications in India, subject to specific regulations under the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules. Schedule H and X drugs require a prescription from a registered medical practitioner for retail sale. Schedule H1, introduced in 2013, includes certain antibiotics, habit-forming drugs, and anti-TB drugs, with stricter controls to prevent misuse.
Schedule H: Contains a list of prescription drugs, including many antibiotics and other medications, that require a prescription for sale.
Schedule H1: A subset of Schedule H, introduced to address the misuse of certain antibiotics, habit-forming drugs, and anti-TB medications.
Schedule X: Contains narcotic and psychotropic substances, subject to similar restrictions as Schedule H, but with additional requirements for record-keeping and labeling.
In support of the argument against, the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) has highlighted detailed background and points and concerns regarding the illegal online sale and quick delivery of medicines:
1. Ghost Prescription• Example: A “ghost prescription” was issued at midnight by a doctor in Hyderabad for a patient in Mumbai (copy enclosed).• Such practices are extremely dangerous to public health.2. Strict Vigilance on Offline Players, None on Online• Government agencies act swiftly against offline chemists, but illegal online operators face no action.• This lack of control has led to a 55% spike in drug abuse.3. Lack of Prescription Verification & Monitoring• No robust system to verify authenticity of prescriptions or buyer intent.• Habit-forming Schedule medicines are delivered without scrutiny, violating the Drugs & Cosmetics Act.• This is causing rapid growth in substance abuse, especially among youth.4. Availability of Prescription Drugs at a Click• Platforms misuse telemedicine guidelines for the commercial sale of prescription drugs.• This defeats the very intent of the Drugs & Cosmetics Act, Pharmacy Act, and Pharmacy Practice Regulations.5. Misuse for Addiction (Nasha)• Schedule H medicines such as Pregabalin are being misused on a large scale.• Youth can now easily procure these drugs through online consultations of questionable authenticity.6. Selling for Profit Only• E-pharmacies and quick commerce portals treat medicines like any other commodity, focusing only on sales and valuation growth.• They use cash-burn tactics, are funded mostly by foreign entities, and undermine India’s domestic market while creating unemployment.
In connection with the aforementioned incidents, the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) has highlighted key concern points such as
- Ghost Prescriptions—Medicines prescribed without genuine verification (e.g., midnight prescriptions issued for distant patients).
- No Prescription Monitoring—Habit-forming drugs delivered without scrutiny, enabling substance abuse.
- Misuse for Addiction—Easy online access to medicines like Pregabalin leading to a sharp rise in misuse.
- Law Evasion for Profit—Foreign-funded start-ups treating medicines like ordinary commodities, undermining India’s domestic market and creating unemployment.
AIOCD President J. S. Shinde and General Secretary Rajiv Singhal emphasized that while unlawful online players are not being held accountable, offline pharmacies are subject to stringent regulations. They voiced concern that this is causing a 55% increase in drug abuse.
Raising a concern that the absence of regulatory action is fueling drug abuse and addiction, especially among youth, the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) has sought urgent intervention against the growing menace of illegal Ee-pharmaciesand quick commerce platforms (Zepto, Blinkit, etc.) delivering scheduled prescription medicines within 10 minutes—in blatant violation of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and despite the Hon'ble Delhi High Court's injunction.
Accordingly, the AIOCD urges the following urgent requests to the government under your mission “Ek Yudh Nashe Ke Viruddh.”
- Immediate ban on online sale & 10-minute delivery of Schedule H/H1/X medicines.
- Closure of e-pharmacies violating the Drugs & Cosmetics Act.
- Strict enforcement to protect youth from the dangers of addiction.
In continuation, the AIOCD leadership stated, “This is not just about regulation; it’s about protecting the nation’s health and future. We fully support Shri Amit Shah Ji’s mission of Ek Yudh Nashe Ke Viruddh and stand ready to assist the government in ending this menace.”
