A pilot project between Swiggy Instamart and Pharmeasy to deliver medicines, has raised the hackles of the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists, with the latter writing to the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI).

“The established regulatory framework in India is designed to ensure the safe and controlled distribution of medicines. Online pharmacy models, as they currently operate, frequently bypass these safeguards, particularly concerning prescription verification, patient identity checks, and mechanisms to prevent misuse,” the AIOCD alleged, adding that a Public Interest Litigation is already in Delhi High Court on the governance of this segment.

AIOCD President JS Shinde told businessline, they would hold demonstrations across the country, if they did not hear from the DCGI or the apex Health Ministry.

The Swiggy–Pharmeasy pilot project to deliver medicines in 10 minutes, is at a nascent stage, an industry insider said, adding that storage and delivery of the medicines would be under stringent conditions and in fact, the medicines supply-chain would have a digital footprint and be traceable. They further pointed to other similar industry collaborations, like Apollo Pharmacies and Amazon India.

Impact review

Meanwhile, the AIOCD said, “patient safety demands rigorous quality checks and safeguards to prevent the sale of expired or counterfeit medications. The high-speed nature of dark store operations, geared toward ultra-quick deliveries, could compromise these critical safety measures. Traditional chemists adhere to stringent standards that may not be feasible in a high-speed delivery environment.”

The retail chemists association called for a review of the impact of such partnerships on the regulatory framework and on public health and safety.

Further, it pointed to the threat of AMR (anti-microbial resistance). “While the government actively raises awareness on AMR prevention, regulatory authorities appear indifferent to the unregulated operations of e-pharmacies, which undermine these efforts. The drive for rapid business expansion by these corporations’ risks undermining national health initiatives for corporate gain,” the letter added.

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