BS RAWAT
NEW DELHI : The Delhi High Court on October 5, 2018, sought a response from the Central and Delhi Governments, and various online pharmacy companies, regarding the sale of medicines online, contrary to the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and the Rules, the Pharmacy Act and the Rules.

The court observed that the governments have to make their policy clear regarding online pharmacy.

The matter has been listed for February 25, 2019.

A writ petition filed by South Chemists and Distributors Association (SCDA), New Delhi, had contended that online pharmacies are being run and managed without any sanction of law. The current Act and rules do not permit online pharmacy, the petition said.

Jitender Goel, president of  SCDA, said that the high court agreed with the submission of the counsel of the association, that the writ petition raises public health issues and the matter requires consideration.

It was also mentioned that online pharmacies are being run in violation of the Government’s FDI Policy, Goel stated.

Further, despite various reports, the government has not crystallized the rules for online pharmacies and offline pharmacies, Goel claimed.

The petitioners have mentioned specific instances where the scheduled and prescription drugs have been supplied by online pharmacy stores, without a prescription or even on fake prescriptions.