Goa chemists join nationwide strike on illegal online med sale

Panaji: The Chemists and Druggists Association of Goa joined the nationwide shutdown of all pharmacies and addressed a letter to PM Modi through the North Goa collector to highlight the illegal and unregulated online sale of medicines, sale and home delivery of medicines without valid and verified prescriptions, and predatory discounting practices by online medicine platforms, adversely affecting the licensed chemists.The association on Wednesday said that the nationwide one-day token strike called by the All India Organisation of Chemists & Druggists (AIOCD) in protest against the continued illegal and uncontrolled online sale of medicines and related serious issues affecting public health and the survival of lakhs of small chemists was a success.All chemists and druggists of the North and South districts kept their establishments closed and extended unanimous support to the movement.In their memorandum to Modi, the chemists and druggists expressed serious concern that medicines are not ordinary commodities and uncontrolled online sale without proper verification poses a grave threat to public health, patient safety and the regulatory framework established under the Drugs & Cosmetics Act.The chemist fraternity appealed to the central govt to take immediate corrective measures in the larger interest of patient safety, public health and protection of lakhs of small licensed chemists and their employees.The strike across the state remained peaceful and received overwhelming support from chemists and druggists, the association's president Amit Kamat said.