The global online pharmacy sector is almost $30 billion in 2014. It is growing at a CAGR of 17.7 percent, and would touch $130 billion by 2023.

The central government prepared draft rules for regulating e-pharmacies. They are called Drugs and Cosmetics Amendment Rules, 2017. They expect to govern the online pharmacies under the ambit of the Drugs and Cosmetic Rules, 1945, the IT Act, 2000 and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.

According to the rules:

o the empharmacies have to register with the Central Drugs Standards Control Organisation (CDSCO)

o they should apply for license renewal every three years.

o there is a fee of Rs.50000 for every renewal of license.

o there will be two yearly inspections of the premises by the teams from Central Licensing Authority (CLA)

o the portals will be filling the prescriptions of scheduled drugs only against prescriptions.

o they would be barred from selling Schedule X drugs, tranquillisers and narcotic substances.

o they would maintain itemized records of the details of the patients, details of the prescriptions, details of the drugs supplied.

o they will declare the details of the owners, directors and partners.

o they should give the details of the pharmacist under whose supervision the drugs are dispensed.

o they should give details of the vendors and supply channels.

o advertisements are forbidden.

o privacy of the data of patients to be ensured.

There are grey zones in the draft but this is a good beginning.

The rules have been framed taking into consideration the marketplace model, where the pharmacy chooses an offline vendor to supply the medicine.

The draft is resisted by the brick-and-mortar stores. They feel they will be adversely affected. They also feel that pharmacy as a business is not suited for online operations.