New Delhi, 5th Sept — Stakeholders from India’s digital healthcare ecosystem today called for a balanced regulatory framework to strengthen e-pharmacies, noting that technology-enabled medicine delivery is vital to bridging healthcare gaps across the country. Speakers at a webinar, moderated by noted senior journalist and columnist Anil Padmanabhan and organized by CUTS International on “Unlocking Healthcare Access: The Regulatory Path Ahead for E-Pharmacy,” emphasized that e-pharmacies and traditional chemists can complement each other, with digital platforms expanding reach and transparency while local pharmacies continue to provide trusted last-mile care.
Industry experts, entrepreneurs, and policy voices noted that e-pharmacies are already serving more than 15,000 pin codes, reaching patients in cities, towns and villages where physical pharmacies are scarce. They highlighted how technology has enabled robust prescription validation, drug authentication, and end-to-end traceability – measures often stronger than those available in the offline sector.
Addressing the audience, Bipul Chattopadhyay, Executive Director, CUTS International said, “The digital economy has significantly benefited consumers across almost all market segments, including healthcare. These gains go beyond pricing to include greater convenience, wider choice, and improved efficiency. E-pharmacies, for instance, are enhancing accessibility by offering 24/7 availability through apps and websites, doorstep delivery within 24 to 48 hours, remote consultations, and even timely reminders for refills. While risks exist with any form of digitalization, the overall consumer impact has been transformative.”
On the regulatory landscape for e-pharmacy, Nirupama Soundararajan Co-founder & CEO, Policy Consensus Centre, stated, “pharmacies cannot operate in an environment of regulatory arbitrage with something as sensitive as medicines, we simply cannot afford an oversight that prohibit players from selling online by following necessary guardrails. The number of consumers who have benefitted from online ordering of medicines would be very high and we need to create laws to ensure the same continues unabated.”