Joining nationwide strike called by All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) to protest online sale of drugs, more than 35,000 chemists and wholesalers in Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana will keep their shops closed on October 14.
Chandigarh Chemist Association president Vijay Anand said the bandh will have the support of 8 lakh chemists across the country.
The association said allowing sale of medicines through Internet would not only paralyse current distribution chain of 8 lakh medicine dealers supplying drugs to 125 crore people but would also prove dangerous to their health.
Anand said government should crack down any kind of online sale of medicines as it raises the risk of misuse of drugs.
Under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, only registered pharmacists are permitted to sell drugs on production of a valid prescription.
He said prescriptions can be easily fabricated and same prescription can be uploaded to different service providers and more medications can be procured than the prescribed quantities (could be dangerous in habit forming, psychotropic medicines).
AIOCD also opposes any move of the government to allow online sale of drugs, he added.
