Medical stores across India may remain closed on May 20, 2026, after the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) called a nationwide shutdown to protest alleged illegal online medicine sales and alleged unfair competition from corporate companies. The organisation said the decision was taken after its demands had allegedly been ignored by the government for a prolonged period.
The AIOCD, one of the largest organisations representing chemists, pharmacists and drug distributors in India, said the protest is primarily against online medicine sales, the growing presence of corporate companies and alleged unequal competition.
According to the AIOCD, the pharmaceutical business in India currently operates under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, and the Rules, 1945. However, the organisation said a clear legal framework governing online medicine sales has not yet been fully implemented.
The organisation alleged that the central government issued GSR 817(E) in 2018 relating to online pharmacies but has not yet given it legal effect. Despite this, online medicine sales have continued to expand across the country, it said.
The AIOCD also stated that a petition on the issue was filed in the Delhi High Court and that the court issued directions related to stopping online medicine sales, but effective action has not yet been taken.
The organisation claimed that online and corporate pharmaceutical companies are creating unequal competition in the market by offering heavy discounts, affecting the business of small and traditional medical stores across the country.
According to the AIOCD, nearly 1.25 million medicine sellers in India are being affected by the situation. The organisation said online platforms are offering discounts ranging from 20 per cent to 50 per cent, while small chemists operate on limited profit margins, making competition difficult under existing rules.
The AIOCD also raised concerns over GSR 220(E), issued during the Covid-19 pandemic. In March 2020, the government permitted home delivery of medicines as a temporary relief measure.
The organisation said several years have passed since the pandemic ended, but the temporary arrangement has not yet been withdrawn, continuing to benefit online pharmacy companies.
The organisation has placed several demands before the government, including the implementation of clear and strict rules for online medicine sales, withdrawal of the GSR 817(E) notification, ensuring equal competition for small medicine sellers, reconsideration of profit margin limits under DPCO 2013 (Drug Price Control Order), and allowing chemists to provide alternative brands of medicines prescribed by doctors.
The organisation said medical stores may remain closed in several parts of the country during the shutdown, although limited arrangements for emergency services may continue in some locations.
