
Nationwide chemist strike on 20 May loses steam as key states withdraw support
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.A nationwide pharmacy strike planned for 20 May has been severely weakened after retailer associations in 12 major states, including West Bengal, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, withdrew their support. The pullout followed a decision by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), the national drug regulator, to review retail and online pharmacy operations, according to two officials familiar with the matter, who requested anonymity.The All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD), representing over 1.2 million retailers, had called for the shutdown to protest the unregulated growth of e-pharmacies.
It alleged that e-pharmacy platforms were exploiting pandemic-era regulatory relaxations, using fake, AI-generated prescriptions to dispense habit-forming drugs and fuel antimicrobial resistance.However, following recent assurances by the CDSCO that these regulatory frameworks are being examined to address concerns, retail pharmacy associations from 12 major states and union territories have officially backed out. These are: West Bengal, Kerala, Punjab, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Ladakh, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Sikkim and Uttarakhand.As of now, these regional bodies have submitted written guarantees to ensure completely uninterrupted medicine supplies, citing humanitarian duties and patient welfare.The decision by these regional bodies to withdraw from the protest highlights a major disagreement within the pharmaceutical trade community.
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