CHENNAI: DMK’s Rajya Sabha MP Dr Kanimozhi NVN Somu raised concerns about the practice of delivering medicines and drugs directly to clients through online delivery companies like Swiggy, in the Parliament. She urged the Union government to intervene and stop the “imminent danger” of allowing the 10-minute delivery of medicines.
The rapid delivery model is in violation of the Indian drug regulations, since the distribution and supply of medicines in India involves strict protocols, such as prescription verification and patient identification, to prevent harm to consumers.
She further added All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) has expressed serious concerns about the potential collaboration between Swiggy’s grocery arm Instamart and an e-pharmacy ‘PharmEasy’, which aims to deliver medicines within 10 minutes through dark stores, she said.
She further added, “The ultra-fast delivery model may increase the possibility of expired or counterfeit medicines, which is harmful to patient safety. In such a model, it is not possible to follow the required quality standards.”