All India Organization of Chemists and Druggists call nationwide shutdown
Medical stores across India were called to shut down today by the All India Organization of Chemists and Druggists, protesting the rise of online pharmacies.
In Karnataka, things were a bit divided: about 26,000 shops linked to major associations closed their doors, while others stayed open but wore black badges to show they're still on board with the cause.
Chemist leaders seek stricter e-pharmacy rules
Leaders like KCDA's Raghunath R. say online pharmacies are breaking rules by selling medicines illegally and offering big discounts that hurt local shop margins.
BDCDA's B. Thirunavukkarasu also flagged worries about fake medicines, unfair return policies for expired drugs, and misleading ads.
Even though not everyone agreed on shutting down, many chemists backed stricter rules for e-pharmacies.