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Online pharmacy business is disturbing the conventional mode of regulated drug distribution and supply system in the country and as the regulator of the pharmacy profession PCI will not keep silence over this law-breaking business.
"Online pharmacy is creating problems not only to the conventional traders, but also to the manufacturing industry," observes Dr. Montu M Patel, president of The Pharmacy Council of India (PCI).
Addressing the pharmaceutical manufacturers of South India at the Pharmac South Expo at Chennai Trade Centre, Dr. Patel said the PCI is seriously viewing the e-pharmacy business and the unethical discount offers being done by them. Since medicine business is a regulated area and the PCI has the power to regulate the profession, the council has taken the issue with the government of India and a decision in this regard is expected from the central government. According to the PCI chief, the e-pharmacy group is violating all the rules and regulations and doing the business without any control.
He said about five lakh qualified pharmacists are coming out every year from the institutions across the country and they are supposed to do the pharmacy profession under strict regulations. In the conventional system of medicine business a drug is reaching the hands of a patient through a registered pharmacist, but in the case of online business no one knows who is supplying the drug and where is it coming from. He said offering discounts is unethical, but some corporate sector pharmacies are using it as a tool to attract people.
Dr. Patel said today the online traders offer discounts, tomorrow they will ask for discounts from the industry also. He feels that gradually both the online and discount pharmacy groups will convert the pharma industry and the trade sector as their monopoly areas by violating all the rules and regulations.
The PCI chief wanted the support of the industry sector for strengthening the pharmacy education throughout the country. He said India is becoming the leader in pharma formulations, API production, medical devices and neutraceuticals. He hailed the organisers of the Pharmac South for having included neutraceuticals also into the pharma fair.
Unlike in previous years, the number of visitors and exhibitors in the 2023 expo has increased. From across the country 170 stalls have been opened to show the innovative products and technologies connected with pharma production and marketing.
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