By TCN News:
The All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists Associations (AIOCDA) have called for a strike today September 28th to protest against various government policies.
Pharmacist across India both retailers and wholesalers have shut down their shops from 12 am 28th September to protest against e-pharmacies, online sale of drugs and other policies of the Government.
However those medical shops attached to the hospitals will remain open so that emergency services are not hit causing inconvenience to the general public.
The AIODCA demands that trade margins of medicines should be maintained and not reduced in the forth-coming Drugs (Price Control) Order 2013 considering the rising operational costs. They have also demanded that they should not be victimised over fake and sub standard drugs as they themselves are not aware of the contents of the packages.
The retailers association of drugs of Maharashtra have demanded that the issue of appointing a full-time chemist in all pharmacy shops must be resolved amicably without harassment by the Food and Drugs Administration.
The Tamil Nadu Chemists and Druggists Association (TNCDA) have said that online sale of drugs and e pharmacy stores have affected their livelihood and also increased the rate of drug abuse. Onlines stores offer heavy discounts to attract customers which affects the regular pharmacy stores.
Nearly 70,000 of chemists and wholesalers members of AIOCDA have joined in the strike and thousands are expected to sit on a dharna in front of Jantar Mantar in New Delhi this morning.