'Serious health threats': Swiggy-PharmEasy's 10-minute medicine delivery sparks alarm among chemists' association

The All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) has expressed serious concerns about potential collaboration between Swiggy's grocery arm Instamart and e-pharmacy giant PharmEasy, which aims to deliver medicines within 10 minutes through dark stores.

In a letter to the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), AIOCD warned that the rapid delivery model could potentially violate Indian drug regulations and pose health and safety risks to the public.

AIOCD President JS Shinde and General Secretary Rajiv Singhal listed key issues with the partnership, stating that the model might bypass essential regulatory checks necessary for patient safety. They emphasised that distributing medicines in India involves strict protocols, such as prescription verification and patient identification, to prevent harm to consumers. They expressed concern that these safety measures could be compromised under the ultra-fast delivery timeline.

"This partnership is likely to ignore important standards like proper prescription checking and patient identification, which may endanger the health of common citizens," the association said.  

The association also pointed to the broader implications for antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a growing public health concern in the country. According to AIOCD, the "unregulated" operations of e-pharmacies like PharmEasy could undermine government efforts to combat AMR, potentially worsening the issue due to unchecked antibiotic distribution.

Additionally, AIOCD questioned the reputational and legal risks associated with PharmEasy, which has faced regulatory scrutiny in the past. The partnership with Swiggy, they argued, could expose both companies to further legal complications. 

Another concern was the potential compromise in medicine quality under the rapid delivery model, which might increase the risk of distributing expired or counterfeit medications. AIOCD highlighted that ensuring high-quality and safe medicine distribution within such short timeframes could be difficult and may not adhere to industry standards.

"The ultra-fast delivery model may increase the possibility of expired or counterfeit medicines, which is harmful to patient safety. In such a model, it is not possible to follow the required quality standards," the association said. 

AIOCD urged the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) to review this partnership thoroughly, underscoring their commitment to traditional chemists' role in safely dispensing medicines. The association asserted it would continue to oppose any initiative that could jeopardise public health and safety.