Online platforms have made life unbelievably easy accross multiple sectors for customers from all walks of life. The contributions of the digital world and its services to our well-being is truly indespensable, but will our over-reliance prove to be detrimental in the end?
When drugs and medication are involved, pharmacists and chemists seem to agree. The national regulatory body, AIOCD (The All India Organization of Chemists and Druggists) urges action against e-pharmacies and quick commerce apps that deliver high-risk drugs without prescriptions, warning us of misuse and addiction, ultimately endangering public health.
The AIOCD also stated that this threatens small pharmacy businesses. Platforms like Zepto and Blinkit were found responsible for delivering Schedule H, H1, and X drugs without mandatory prescription verifications. âGhost Prescriptionsâ, where medicines are approved without genuine verification or even forged prescriptions are also gaining prevalence due to the lethargy of online verification processes.
A scheme that began with pure intentions has now escalated into a challenge that could pose great societal risks if mismanaged. What are your thoughts on this?
Every coin has two sides, advancements provide convenience but come with challenges that are meant to be faced and overcomed we canât go back to traditional methods. In times when almost every thing can be ordered online, so should be the high risk drugs but these apps need to hire competent staff to verify prescriptions and create profile of genuine patients who actually need these drugs. This will create another need to protect medical privacy of patients who order high risk drugs.
In this case, people should just use their common sense and go to a doctor for any health related issues. Online medication is nothing but betting on your own life. Government should create strict actions or completely ban online prescription system or else, there will be so much misuse or drug abuse by some people which is very harmful for them as well as the society. People should always seek a professional medical health expert when it comes to their health no matter what.
Instant delivery is convenient and easily accessible, but the example shows the safety concerns. Unverifiable calls and prescription approval without proper assessment risk antibiotic misuse and ghost prescriptions, and also article mentions doctor suggesting medicines less than a minute before asking for patient details, medical history etc. Real doctors spend years to study medicines and treatments, but these things may affect patient lives within a minute.
As far as feasibility, accessibility, and customer convenience are concerned, instant delivery is definitely beneficial. However, the rising misuse of OTC medicines,especially antibiotics is a serious concern. India already faces one of the highest burdens of antimicrobial resistance, and unchecked online dispensing can accelerate this problem even further.
This is where strict prescription verification becomes essential. Convenience should not compromise public health.
Yes, online platform has made our life easier, but that should not come at the cost of our health. Such an increase in ghost prescriptions on online platform is really problematic. So it is always safe to visit doctor and receive proper treatment.
Medications should be used with caution and should not be sold like groceries. A valid prescription plays a crucial role in healthcare. While digital platforms are essential today to meet the urgent needs of patients, they must work alongside regulators and healthcare professionals to ensure patient safety.
This is a very relevant and concerning issue nowadays especially for those who take it very lightly. While digital platforms have definitely made access to medicines faster and more convenient, there has to be a clear line when it comes to safety. Medicines are not regular commodities, and skipping proper prescription checks can lead to serious misuse and long-term health risks. And, convenience should never come at the cost of public health, and stronger regulation and accountability are really needed in this matter.
There should be strict regulations on the online sale of prescription drugs. Many platforms claim that medicationsâespecially antipsychotics and other prescription-only drugsâwill be dispatched only after verifying a valid prescription. But what happens, the customer will receive a phone call and would be simply asked to confirm the indication and just like that order will be approved, not even proper documentation would be needed! This practice can lead to serious consequences, including the most dreaded- antimicrobial resistance. I think soon we may even have to start teaching the layman the Aware classification of drugs!
The online platforms are great for just delivering the daily needs but in case of medications additional precautions should be taken for the patient safety, these online delivered products may be fast but canât ensure safety
Online platforms make life easier, but uncontrolled access to Schedule H/H1 drugs is a real public health risk. Without proper prescription validation, we increase the chances of misuse, dependency, and antibiotic resistance. Convenience is good, but safety protocols are non-negotiable.
Medicines are taken to recover from illness or to treat a disease. So it must be handled with utmost care and importance. I donât think it is as easy to order and have without a doctorâs prescription. So laws should be implemented such that only under proper prescription a medicine can be delivered. As technology grows we should also follow certain rules that enhance the best usability of it.
Just as a knife has two sides, a blunt and a sharp one similarly the delivery has its own pros and cons. Imagine a condition where a patient is staying in a remote location with no access to medical shops nearby, the tabs or medicine get finished suddenly, at that point in time these medicine delivery apps come handy in alleviating the patientâs pain. So itâs upto people to use the app wisely!
This concept is easy going into the people because the benefits are outweighing the risks as perceived by the public but in actual they are imposing risks on themselves. The diagnosis of a patient for any particular condition including a minor ailment requires PE ( physical examination) by a Physician. Instead of waiting for hours outside the OP doors just for a 5 minute consultation may seem like a burden to the patient especially if they visit OP for a minor problem,therefore people are quick to adapt to this kind of conveniences online which are posing them threat. Online medicine delivery is beneficial especially for the elderly but only if he or she has a valid prescription by a registered physician for the same. The problem lies in the online consultation risking patientâs lives. It is important to raise awareness regarding this kind of practices before they cause increase in the percentage of antibiotic resistance among individuals in India.
Good move by AIOCD. High-risk drugs, psychotropic drugs and even antibiotics need proper prescription after examination by the Doctor not on a phone call where the complete details and qualifications of doctor are not available. It may lead to misuse, drug dependence, drug resistance and can be detrimental to health. As, digital world is evolving, there is no doubt it is making lives easier and saving time, but some fields are not yet there including medicine. There should be a proper open platform for verification of prescription before delivery of medicine. As far as diagnosis is concerned it is difficult to make a diagnosis just based on a phone call and to check its authenticity. For now, itâs better to visit the Doctor, rather than take risk. Medicines are not groceries.
Faster deliveries of pills may seem great as a concept, but they require greater planning and software upgradesđ¨âđť to implement in day-to-day life. The concept, which once seemed utopian, has become the norm due to various platforms like blinkit. Though it may seem helpful for the people in need, the drawbacks scream louder, including drug misuse and overdose, improper storage, lack of pharmacist guidanceđ, handling issues, and risk of herd antibiotic resistanceđ. The risk of a privacy leakđ and ethical issues are a major hazard in such cases. Proper standardization is of utmost importance in this situation.
This is a debatable topic. On one side people who are old aged who often canât go to pharmacy for their regular prescribed drugs for the co-morbidities are often get benefited by e-pharmacies and quick commerce apps. But on other hand many medicines are being misused by huge number of populations. Instead of visiting a doctor, they usually rely upon AI and google searches. Soon, it can become a public health issue.