BENGALURU: The Bangalore District Chemists and Druggists Association (BDCDA) has written to both the Competition Commission of India (CCI) and the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), raising concerns related to the fast-growing digital pharmacy sector.
In separate letters, the association alleged that a number of online platforms and health-tech startups are violating drug regulations, repackaging prescription medicines and misleading consumers with psychologically manipulative advertisements.
The complaints name several digital medicine sellers including health-tech startups like Blupack and PillUp and alleged that these companies are advertising prescription medicines without proper safeguards, encouraging unsafe buying habits, and in some instances, tampering with medicine packaging in violation of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.
BDCDA President B Thirunavukkarasu highlighted how online pharmacy chains and unregulated sellers are using social media and apps to advertise prescription drugs. Some of the examples include ads with messages like “Stop spending your retirement fund on medicines” or “Order now, 50% off on antibiotics.”
These kinds of promotions, they say, push senior citizens and chronic patients, into risky behaviours like switching their medications based on price, skipping pharmacist consultations, or treating prescription drugs like over-the-counter items.