Coal minister flags unregulated expansion of online pharmacies

New Delhi: Union coal and mines minister G Kishan Reddy has written to union health minister Jagat Prakash Nadda raising concerns over "unregulated" expansion of online pharmacies in the country and seeking appropriate action after examining the issue.

In a letter sent on Monday, Reddy forwarded concerns flagged by Hyderabad District Chemists and Druggists Association, which alleged that online pharmacy platforms were engaging in deep discounting practices, which amounted to predatory pricing, and selling Schedule H1 drugs without regulatory oversight.

The association said such practices are threatening the livelihoods of thousands of retail chemists and could pose risks to public health and, potentially, national security. Reddy urged the health ministry to look into the matter and initiate necessary measures.


The letter has once again brought attention to a long-standing debate in India over the need for a robust and enforceable legal framework governing e-pharmacies. While online pharmacies have grown rapidly in recent years, a comprehensive set of regulations specifically addressing their operations remains a point of contention between digital health platforms and traditional pharmacy associations.

On May 20, All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD), which represents about 1.24 million chemists, pharmacists and drug distributors across the country, went on a nationwide strike demanding a level-playing field and strict enforcement of drug sale regulations online.