Telangana pharmacies reopen after one-day strike against online sale of medicines

Medical shops across Telangana, including Hyderabad, resumed normal operations on Thursday, May 21, a day after thousands of pharmacies observed a one-day shutdown in protest against e-pharmacies and alleged irregularities in the online sale of medicines.

According to the Telangana Chemists and Druggists Association, around 45,000 pharmacies across the state participated in the strike on Wednesday, including nearly 20,000 medical shops in Hyderabad.

T. Krishna Kumar, treasurer of the association, said the strike had received a strong response from pharmacists across the state. “We are now awaiting a response from the central government. If there is no response, such shutdowns will continue until our demands are met,” he said.

The strike was called by the All India Organization of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD), raising concerns over the growing presence of online pharmacies and chain stores of corporate drugs.

Pharmacists say several e-pharmacies and rapid drug trading platforms operate with inadequate prescription verification mechanisms and weak regulatory oversight. They have also objected to the hard discounting practices adopted by online platforms, arguing that such measures affect the survival of small and independent medical shops.

Published – 21 May 2026 20:25 IST