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 The All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) has called for future pharmaceutical industry growth to strictly balance the interests of patients, manufacturers, distributors, and over 12.40 lakh licensed chemists.
The apex body emphasized that retail pharmacists remain the backbone of medicine availability across the country and must not be sidelined by changing market dynamics. The demand follows the publication of the Pharmatrac monthly performance report for August 2026.
The August 2026 performance data present a dual picture of the Indian Pharmaceutical Market (IPM). On a Moving Annual Total (MAT) basis, the industry recorded a value growth of 10.4 percent, alongside a 10.7 percent value growth for the month of August alone. However, volume growth remained muted at approximately 1 percent, signalling that current top-line expansion is overwhelmingly driven by price adjustments and product mix rather than an actual increase in unit consumption.
Reacting to the report, AIOCD president J S Shinde and general secretary Rajiv Singhal expressed serious trade concerns regarding this reliance on value over volume. The leadership observed that sustainable industry growth cannot rely solely on price hikes, but must guarantee fair commercial conditions for traditional trade. They stressed the necessity of protecting sustainable trade margins, facilitating healthy inventory turnover, ensuring reasonable credit terms, and safeguarding the traditional brick-and-mortar retail supply chain.
The trade body expressed concern over volume contractions in vital healthcare categories, specifically pointing out persistent pressure on volumes in the anti-infectives and respiratory therapeutic segments. AIOCD leaders warned that volume drops in critical primary care portfolios require immediate, coordinated attention from regulators, drug manufacturers, and healthcare professionals to ensure patient access is not being compromised.
In contrast to declining volumes in acute therapies, the Pharmatrac data showed rapid expansion in the anti-obesity and metabolic care segments, driven largely by GLP-1 receptor agonists. The report highlighted the rapid adoption and surging market share of advanced therapies such as tirzepatide and semaglutide, pointing toward a significant structural shift in prescription patterns and patient treatment trends.
Beyond specific therapy trends, the report provided a broader overview of market performance, noting positive contributions across key growth levers, including price, new product launches, and volume. High-performing therapeutic categories like cardiac and anti-diabetic continued to record robust expansion, while top corporate players, led by Sun Pharma, Cipla, and Abbott, maintained strong revenue trajectories alongside leading brand performers like Mounjaro, Augmentin, and Glycomet GP.
Reiterating their core demand, AIOCD office bearers emphasized that rapid commercial shifts and high-value drug introductions must not disrupt the retail healthcare ecosystem. The association declared that sustainable pharmaceutical growth in India can only be achieved when commercial strategy aligns with the economic survival of local pharmacies and the welfare of patients relying on them every day.
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