Illegal Medicines: Detriments to Health and Economy
Introduction:
The Indian pharma industry is one of the fastest
growing economic sectors in India and at present one of the major contributors
to the national GDP. In the UNGA 2020, PM Narendra Modi announced that India is
the largest supplier of vaccines in the world and the pharma sector in India is
not only capable of fulfilling the domestic needs but can also meet the
international demands and standards. The pharmaceutical industry in India is
currently generates a yearly revenue of 30 billion US dollars and will soon
reach to around 60 billion US dollars by the end of 2023 as suggested by
economic experts.
The Global Perspective:
The biggest problem that the Indian pharma is dealing with is the manufacture and supply of illegal medicines around the country. This not only affects the health and well-being of the people but also impacts the Indian economy. Time and again, the Indian pharmaceutical industry have been blamed by the western media of not maintaining the international medical standards. The biggest accusation being that Indian medicines are marketed and sold without completing proper clinical trials. Banned medicines such as Nimesulide, Rofecoxib, Phenyl propanamine, etc sale of which is already stopped in countries like Bangladesh are still being marketed in India according to the US FDA.
Online Offline Rivalry:
Information Technology Act of 2000, the Drugs and Cosmetics Act of 1940, the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules of 1945, the Pharmacy Act of 1948, etc are some of the rules that are present in India. But most of them were written in a time when internet was not prevalent in India. In 2018, the Indian government released a draft rule stating that online pharmacies cannot sell medicines to the customers without a proper prescription.
However, the rule was not very effective and riddled with loopholes.
Indian Online Pharmacies:
Many pharma companies are doing online business
are providing their services online. 3MEDs a Delhi-based online pharmacy app, which is owned and operated by "Nitsa Advisor" is a good example
of this transition. Launched in 2020, it has been declared as the no. 1 onlinepharmacy app in India. The customers in Delhi can now buy medicines from the
comfort of their homes. 3MEDs has been known to abide by the government
regulations and it has made it mandatory for the customers that prescription
medicines will only be provided with a proper prescription.
Conclusion:
Although it is not illegal to buy medicines
online in India, there are certain guidelines that must be followed both by the
pharma companies as well as the customers. The drug regulations and rules in
India require amends which are not only timely but also relevant as per the
current medical industrial scenario in the country. Most important is the education
of customers. Buying medicine illegally does not only cheats them of their
money but also puts them in the harm’s way.
Keywords: Pharmacy app, no. 1 online pharmacy app in India