E-pharmacies representatives and health ministry officials are holding a meeting to address the concerns about the regulations which would govern them.
E-pharmacies accept e-prescriptions but here the government is cautious as it has wider implications.
There are data privacy issues as these online pharmacies have data of the consumption of medicines by the patients as well as the diagnostic tests they have been subjected to. There is a possibility of misuse of the data.
Online pharmacies practice predatory pricing to gain customers, and this adversely affects the offline retail chemists — there are 8 lac chemist shops in India.
The health ministry should formulate guidelines by holding discussions with all the stakeholders, especially the Chemists and Druggist Associations. The retail chemists are outpriced.
Offline pharmacies cannot deliver medicines to residences, whereas online pharmacies can do so.
Online pharmacies should not be allowed to sell the habit forming drugs, anti-TB medications and higher antibiotics.
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