Mysore/Mysuru: With the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) giving a Nation wide bandh call on May 20 in protest against the unregulated functioning of online medicine sales platforms and deep discounting practises adopted by e-Pharmacy companies, there has been a mixed response to the bandh call by Pharmacists of the city.

While the Mysuru District Chemists and Druggists Welfare Association (MDCDWA) has extended its full support to the bandh, the Mysore District Chemists and Distributors Association (MDCDA) has opposed the bandh.

The MDCDA President S. Manjunath said that the Association has not extended support to the May 20 bandh call, taking into account public interests and service to the society as drugs are key for saving lives. The shutting down of Pharmacies will severely impact health care services and timely delivery of drugs which are vital for saving lives, he pointed out.

Meanwhile, MDCDWA, affiliated to AIOCD, which has extended full support to the May 20 bandh, in a press release, said that the bandh is being observed in protest against unregulated functioning of online medicine sales platforms and the deep discounting practices adopted by e-Pharmacy companies, which are severely affecting the livelihood and sustainability of lakhs of retail chemists and Pharmaceutical distributors across the country.

Expressing concern over the emerging misuse of AI-generated fake prescriptions, the Association warned that such practices could further aggravate Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), which poses a major public health threat.

However, the MDCDWA, in its release, said that while the bandh may disrupt regular retail medicine supply chains on May 20, emergency medicines and essential medical services will continue to remain available in several areas for public convenience.