SCDA Urges Government to Act Against Quick-Commerce Sale of Medicines

In a letter addressed to the Union Health Secretary, SCDA called the practice illegal and in direct violation of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.

The South Chemists and Distributors Association (SCDA), a Delhi-based body representing pharmaceutical retailers, has raised strong objections to the sale and delivery of medicines by quick-commerce platforms such as Zepto, Blinkit, and PhonePe. 

In a letter addressed to the Union Health Secretary, SCDA called the practice illegal and in direct violation of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. The association urged the government to intervene immediately and halt these services. 

SCDA argued that medicines are not consumer goods like groceries and require regulated handling, secure storage conditions, and adherence to prescription protocols.

Concerns Over Spurious Drugs & Prescription Bypass

SCDA also voiced concern over the rising trend of platforms offering “free medical consultations,” which it claimed are being used to circumvent mandatory prescription rules. 

The group warned that such practices could lead to the entry of spurious or unregulated drugs into the supply chain.

The letter marks the latest chapter in ongoing tensions between traditional brick-and-mortar chemists and digital platforms over the legal and regulatory framework governing e-pharmacy and medicine delivery in India. 

SCDA has demanded stricter enforcement to protect public health and ensure compliance with existing drug laws.

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