Mysuru: In response to the Nationwide strike call given by the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) and The Karnataka Chemists and Druggists Association (KCDA), in protest against the Centre’s stand on online sale of medicines, all medical shops will observe a one-day bandh in the city on Sept. 28 (tomorrow).

While Mysuru District Chemists and Druggists Association (MDCDA) has supported the bandh Suvarna Karnataka Chemists and Distributors Association (SKCDA) have decided not to support the Nationwide Bandh. All medical stores in city will be closed except for pharmacies in hospitals.

City’s well-known Pharmacist N. Raghavan of Raghulal and Co., speaking to Star of Mysore said that there would be misuse of drugs through online sale of medicines and added that customers may be cheated in the guise of offering huge discounts. Besides many irregularities like supply of spurious medicines would take place in the online sale of medicines and hence online sale of medicines was not suitable. This apart, owners of regular medical stores would suffer huge loss, he said.

Raghavan further said that if at all online pharmacies are provided opportunity, a lot of changes are necessary. We have already informed our customers about the bandh, he said and added that pharmacies in hospitals are exempted from the bandh tomorrow.

Meanwhile, KCDA State Secretary A.K. Jeevan, who also spoke, said that they were not completely opposing e-pharmacies but were opposing only the unscientific part of it and had submitted a memorandum to the Centre in this regard.

SKCDA not to support

Meanwhile, members of Suvarna Karnataka Chemists and Distributors Association (SKCDA) have decided not to support the tomorrow’s bandh.

Addressing press persons at Pathrakarthara Bhavan here yesterday, SKCDA State Unit Secretary H. Manjunath said, the Association had taken a unanimous decision in this regard at its Executive Meeting held on Sept. 22 in Bengaluru.

The Association has informed its chemists and distributors to open their shops on Sept. 28 as usual to provide hassle-free services. Moreover, supporting the bandh call amounts to violation of Karnataka Essential Services Maintenance Act 2003. The Karnataka Drug Controller had also requested the chemists and druggists to open their shops.  

However, the Association condemns Centre’s proposed changes in the Drug Act and move to bring online pharmacies.

He said the SKCDA office-bearers will submit a memorandum to the Union Health Ministry and other Central Government officials on Oct. 3 at New Delhi.