Pune, 19th May 2026: All India Organization of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) called a nationwide strike on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, against e-pharmacies, which is expected to impact medicine shops across the country.
Nearly 12.5 lakh chemists are likely to participate in the bandh to protest against online medicine sales and heavy discounting by corporate pharmacy chains.
Addressing a press conference, AIOCD Pune President Sandeep Parakh, along with Secretary Anil Belkar and Treasurer Rohit Karpe, said the pharmaceutical trade is governed by strict provisions under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, and Rules, 1945.
However, they alleged that e-pharmacies continue to operate despite the absence of clear legal provisions and an existing stay order by the Delhi High Court.
The association said the temporary permission granted for home delivery of medicines during the COVID-19 pandemic has continued even after the crisis ended. According to the AIOCD, several online pharmacy companies are using this to offer massive discounts and capture the market, creating a serious threat to small retail chemists and the rural medicine distribution system.
Senior leader Jagannath Shinde stated that traditional chemists operate under fixed profit margins set by the Drug Price Control Order (DPCO) 2013, making it impossible to compete with discounts ranging from 20% to 50% offered by large corporate players.
He added that the association has demanded legal permission for retailers to provide alternative or generic brands of prescribed medicines to customers.
The AIOCD said it had repeatedly submitted memorandums to the central government and concerned ministers but claimed no concrete action had been taken. The organization expressed confidence that the bandh would receive full support across Maharashtra.
Meanwhile, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Pune Division has appealed to citizens not to panic during the strike. In a statement, Joint Commissioner (Drugs) G. D. Hukare advised people to purchase essential medicines in advance and avoid believing rumors regarding shortages.
The FDA clarified that government hospitals, emergency healthcare services, hospital-attached pharmacies, generic medicine stores, and pharmacy chains such as MedPlus, Apollo Pharmacy, and Wellness Forever will remain operational during the bandh.
The administration also warned chemists against creating artificial shortages of life-saving medicines during the strike and stated that strict action would be taken against violations under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.
To help citizens facing difficulties in accessing medicines during emergencies, the Pune FDA has released helpline numbers of Assistant Commissioners (Drugs). Citizens can contact R. V. Pingale on 9730085588, S. K. Titar-Datir on 8605000460, A. A. Raskar on 8652583525, and S. M. Rathod on 9922304650 for assistance.