Abstract

ANALYSIS AND COMPARISON OF E-PHARMACY RULES IN INDIA AND ITS ROLE IN COVID -19 OUT BREAK

Sakshi Garg* and Vikesh Kumar Shukla

Abstract

An online pharmacy is the pharmacy that operate via internet and supply it consumers through mail, shipping or internet portal. It is one of the emerging markets around the globe with various benefits to various segment. This review article clearly demonstrates the epharmacy rules in India drafted by ministry of health and family welfare (MOHFW) which talks about registration of E-pharmacy, the drugs which can be dispensed by e-pharmacy, how the dispensing of drug should take place etc introduced in the amended draft of drug and cosmetic rules, 2018 to regulate the profession of pharmacy and safeguard the public health. It analyses the guidelines w.r.t market size of industry in India which is expected to reach $3.6 bn by 2022 and has present value of $512 million market (2018). It put forward the different challenges that are faced during regulation of e-pharmacy in India and gives solution for same. A comparison of epharmacy rules of India is made with that of USA, Europe and Canada to understand and adopt the steps like VIPPS that would help in better regulation of epharmacy in India. Also, it gives an overview of the state of epharmacy in the covid-19 pandemic.

Keywords: E-pharmacy, VIPPS, MOHFW, COVID-19, E-pharmacy rules, internet portal.