CHENNAI: Since draft rules have been formulated by the Centre alone with regard to online sale of medicines, online pharmacies cannot be permitted to operate, until the rules are finalised, the senior counsel for City-based Tamil Nadu Chemists & Druggists Association, told Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana on Monday. A submission to this effect was made by the senior counsel when the writ petition from Association came up for further hearing on Monday.
Additional Advocate-General S R Rajagopal said online pharmacies do not have any legal backing to continue and what was unregulated cannot be permitted. The Judge remarked that the convenience of buying medicines online and risks thereupon have to be weighed against each other.
When the petitioner senior counsel argued that online sale was banned in several countries, the judge retorted that the same may not be applicable in India where people get medicines without prescriptions. The next date for the case is December 5.