DNA Edit: All isn’t well – Lack of regulation on e-pharmacies will harm health

The  Centre’s recent draft rules governing the functioning of e-pharmacies  in the country is a big shakeup for India’s health industry. The draft  rules which allow e-pharmacies to be licenced  now ensures that Indians can get their hands on drugs, with certain  stipulations, online. Who  will ultimately inspect and regulate all these e-pharmacies which are  multiplying by the dozen? How will one be sure that they are not selling  spurious drugs? And how can one cross-check the  authenticity of prescriptions sent online? These are concerns that  India’s traditional pharmacies are voicing, which do require further  looking into as the country gets set for the e-health boom to become  bigger. But  while the traditional pharmacies may have a point, there is no denying  the fact that e-health is here to stay, not just in India but also globally.  

Increased awareness of the consumer along with the rise in health portals coupled with the pharmaceutical industry only too eager to sell suggests that the selling of medicinal drugs was only a matter of time.  In  India, where health safety regulations are more lax than most other  countries, the common man is more likely to be governed by the  accessibility of drugs and the huge discounts that e-pharmacies are  offering. While traditional pharmacies are governed by the Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940 and a clutch of others, e-commerce is regulated by the Information Technology Act, 2000, which is silent on e-pharmacies. This is where the  rub lies. Lack of regulation and the willingness to sell in bulk at huge  discounts could result in a major health crisis if all the stakeholders  do not act responsibly. For this, a uniform policy needs to be adopted  so that online platforms are not hijacked by fringe parties to make a  quick buck.