A nationwide strike called by the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) against e-pharmacies received a mixed response across Karnataka on Wednesday, with several medical stores shutting down in many districts while others continued business as usual.
The protest was organised against online pharmacies and alleged violations of regulatory provisions under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. In Bengaluru, many medical shops supported the bandh by keeping their shutters down, though several pharmacies remained operational and continued serving customers. In areas such as Halasuru and a few other localities, medical stores functioned normally despite the strike call.
A staff member at Pooja Medicals in Bengaluru’s Halasuru said the shop was operating without disruption and that they had not received any communication regarding the bandh from their association.
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At the same time, the strike saw strong participation in districts including Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Gadag, Tumakuru, Bagalkot and Shivamogga, where many pharmacies remained closed throughout the day. In Mysuru, some chemists kept their outlets open but wore black bands to express solidarity with the protest.
Earlier, the Bruhat Bengaluru Chemists and Druggists Association (BBCDA) had clarified that it would not support the bandh and that medical stores affiliated with it would continue functioning in the public interest.
“There will be no bandh on May 20 and shops will function normally. All pharmacy stores will remain open to serve the public,” the association had said in a statement.
However, Karnataka Chemists and Druggists Association (KCDA) president R Raghunatha Reddy claimed that, except for a few outlets, a large number of chemists across the state had joined the protest. According to him, the agitation became necessary because of repeated violations of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act by e-pharmacies.
“The sale of medicines through online pharmacies is not permitted under the Act. There are also High Court orders on the matter, but they are not being implemented,” Reddy said.
He further alleged that online pharmacies were offering steep discounts, disturbing the regulated profit margin structure of 16 to 20 per cent and negatively impacting small retailers.
Veeranarayana Gowda, owner of Shri Vinayaka Medicals in Lakkasandra Extension, said he had shut his shop at 10.30 pm on Tuesday and continued participating in the strike throughout Wednesday.
Explaining the concerns behind the protest, he said medicines are regulated products and cannot be sold like ordinary consumer goods. “There is a fixed margin for retailers and distributors. But online pharmacies purchase medicines in bulk and sell them at huge discounts, which affects small medical shops,” he said.
He also expressed concern about patient safety and regulatory oversight in online medicine sales. “There is no proper monitoring of online medicine sales. Medicines are being supplied without verifying prescriptions. In physical pharmacies, if we notice an error in a prescription, we can alert the customer and advise them to consult the doctor again,” he added.
Gowda said the response to the strike remained divided because multiple chemists’ associations operate across Karnataka. “Some associations backed the strike while others stayed away. That is why some medical stores remained open while others participated in the protest,” he said.
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