Illegal E-pharmacies Driving Antibiotic Misuse, AIOCD Seeks PM’s Intervention

The All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) has sought the immediate intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to curb the unchecked operation of illegal e-pharmacies, warning that the online sale of antibiotics without valid prescriptions is accelerating antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and posing a serious threat to public health.

Referring to the Prime Minister’s recent Mann Ki Baat address, the AIOCD said the concerns highlighted by him, based on findings of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), point to a national health emergency. Widely used antibiotics for common infections such as pneumonia and urinary tract infections are rapidly losing their effectiveness due to indiscriminate use, self-medication and easy online access, it said.

The AIOCD, which represents over 12.40 lakh licensed chemists and druggists across the country, alleged that several illegally operating online pharmacies are openly violating provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act by supplying antibiotics and other prescription medicines without authorised prescriptions. It further claimed that many such platforms are misusing telemedicine guidelines by facilitating superficial online consultations solely to generate frivolous prescriptions, thereby bypassing regulatory safeguards.

“It is a matter of serious concern that the increasing incidence of self-medication and the acceleration of AMR are being significantly driven by the unchecked and illegal operation of e-pharmacies. These entities continue to supply antibiotics and other prescription medicines without authorised prescriptions, in clear violation of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940 (Rules 1945), and established regulatory safeguards. Multiple instances of such violations are already within the knowledge of healls authorities,” said the AIOCD in a letter to the Prime Minister.

“These illegal practices have been repeatedly flagged by regulatory agencies and reported in the media. The Delhi High Court has also categorically observed that e-pharmacies are illegal, yet enforcement on the ground remains grossly inadequate,” said AIOCD President JS Shinde.

The modus operandi of these illegally operating online pharmacies is based on the circumventing of laws under the Tele-Medicine guidelines where they arrange a call between a so-called doctor, sitting at unknown location, and the patient to issue a frivolous prescription, on oral demand by any individual, for selling prescription medicines, said the letter.

These irregularities, which have been highlighted multiple times by various agencies and even published in various news reports, are going on without any action by any Government Department, endangering the lives and health of our citizens, it said.

Warning that continued inaction would aggravate treatment failures and place an additional burden on an already stretched healthcare system, the organisation urged the government to take swift and decisive steps. It specifically demanded the immediate closure of all illegally operating e-pharmacies and called for structured cooperation with the AIOCD to prevent the online sale of prescription medicines without valid medical prescriptions.

According to AIOCD, addressing this issue is critical to safeguarding the effectiveness of life-saving medicines for future generations.

Reaffirming its commitment to public health, the AIOCD said it fully supports the government’s vision of “Healthy India – Safe India” and will continue to work towards creating awareness against self-medication and promoting the rational use of antibiotics among consumers.

“Antibiotics must be used strictly on a doctor’s prescription,” the organisation’s General Secretary Rajiv Singhal, emphasised, calling for collective responsibility from regulators, healthcare professionals and citizens alike to combat the growing menace of antimicrobial resistance.

Following the Prime Minister’s address, AIIMS Delhi Director Professor M Srinivas has also urged the public to recognise the seriousness of antimicrobial resistance. He cautioned that the excessive and inappropriate use of antibiotics accelerates AMR, rendering these life-saving medicines ineffective when they are genuinely required.

Professor Srinivas stressed that taking antibiotics unnecessarily, especially without proper medical advice, offers no benefit and can in fact be harmful. He underlined the need for greater public awareness, noting that misuse today compromises treatment options tomorrow.

On preventing antibiotic misuse, the AIIMS Director explained that common ailments such as coughs and most respiratory tract infections are often self-limiting and resolve within a few days without antibiotics. “These medicines are crucial for seriously ill patients, particularly those admitted to hospitals and intensive care units."

“Unfortunately, many people in India have already consumed antibiotics excessively. As a result, when these drugs are truly needed in critical situations, they often fail to work,” he said, warning that indiscriminate antibiotic use is steadily eroding their effectiveness.