During the recent G20 meetings in Goa, representatives from popular e-pharmacy companies including PharmEasy, Tata 1mg, Flipkart, and Amazon India reportedly held discussions with health ministry officials regarding industry regulations.
Earlier this week, representatives from e-pharmacy companies, such as PharmEasy, Tata 1mg, Flipkart, and Amazon India, reportedly met with health ministry officials at the G20 meetings in Goa to discuss industry regulations. These discussions took place as part of the G20 health working group meeting.
The government has requested companies to provide a formal presentation outlining the advantages of e-pharmacies, their adherence to regulations, and the obstacles encountered in meeting the demands of the persistently high online medication delivery.
Upon submission of the aforementioned presentation, the companies are expected to have a meeting with the Union Minister of Health, Mansukh Mandaviya, next month. The presentation is reportedly being prepared by Digital Health Platforms (DHP), an industry association consisting of major players such as PharmEasy and 1mg.
According to the sources, this is a step taken in the consultation process to gather feedback before implementing any new regulations.
Although a complete prohibition on e-pharmacies seems improbable, the government is requesting a report that evaluates the benefits to consumers beyond the discounts they receive on medications and laboratory tests through these platforms.
The talks in Goa took place approximately 10 days after media reports indicated that e-pharmacy firms would be meeting with the health minister to address concerns related to data privacy. These discussions also represent one of the rare occasions when the government has sought the industry’s perspectives on the regulation of online pharmacies.
Tata 1mg, Amazon, and Flipkart, among others, were issued show-cause notices by the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) on February 10. The notices were sent as these e-pharmacies were found to be selling and distributing drugs in violation of the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.
Following the issuance of the notices, the companies reached out to the health ministry to present their perspectives. Additionally, the companies are said to have responded to the show-cause notices.
In March, it was reported that a Group of Ministers (GoM) recommended the closure of e-pharmacy platforms due to allegations of malpractices within the sector. The GoM also expressed concerns regarding data privacy, predatory pricing, and the sale of medicines without prescriptions.
The GoM’s perspective emerged subsequent to the health ministry’s modification of the draft for the new Drugs, Medical Devices, and Cosmetics Bill. The revised draft included provisions that enable the government to regulate the online sale and distribution of drugs, including e-pharmacy companies. The revised draft replaced the initial legislation that was published in July 2022 for stakeholder feedback.
As part of the 2022 bill, the government has proposed a licensing framework for online pharmacies. However, the exact regulations for this framework have not been determined yet.