Chemist Bandh on May 20: Why 8 Lakh Pharmacies Across India Are Calling for Shutdown

If you plan to visit your neighbourhood chemist on May 20, you may find the shutters down. Nearly 7-8 lakh pharmacies across India are expected to remain closed as chemist associations call a nationwide bandh to protest the unchecked growth of online medicine platforms and e-pharmacies. Emergency services, however, will continue.

The All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD), representing around 12.5 lakh members, has announced the shutdown. The Retail Distribution Chemist Alliance (RDCA) Delhi has also extended its support, making this one of the largest coordinated strikes in the history of India's retail pharmacy sector.

The Core Grievance: A Pandemic Loophole That Never Closed

At the heart of the protest is a policy issue that has been simmering since the Covid-19 pandemic. Online medicine sellers were given temporary permission to operate during the health emergency. That permission, chemist bodies argue, never formally ended, allowing e-pharmacies to continue operating without adequate regulation.

Sandeep Nangia, president of RDCA Delhi, summed up the frustration clearly: "The retail pharma community is not seeking confrontation, but survival in an increasingly unequal business environment."

Online platforms are offering heavy discounts and fast home delivery, making it nearly impossible for small medical stores to compete on price or convenience. Chemist associations also raise a safety concern, arguing that medicines are being sold online without proper monitoring, pharmacist supervision, or valid prescriptions.

"Medicine is not just another delivery item. It is a health responsibility," Nangia said. "Medicines should be dispensed only under proper legal systems, registered pharmacist supervision, and valid prescriptions wherever required."

Small Chemists Are Bleeding

Rising rents, electricity bills, salaries, and compliance costs have squeezed profit margins for small pharmacy owners, particularly in local markets and smaller towns. Many say they are on the edge of closure.

Yet neighbourhood pharmacies remain critical to India's healthcare system. "Small chemists still serve every colony, every town, every emergency, and every patient," Nangia said. "Independent pharmacies are often the first point of healthcare access for millions of people."

The trade bodies are demanding stricter regulation of online medicine sales, a level playing field for offline chemists, and stronger policy support for small pharmacy owners. As Nangia put it: "Saving retail pharmacy means saving India's healthcare accessibility."

Pharmacies inside and around hospitals will remain open during the strike to ensure patients requiring urgent medicines are not left without access.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 18, 2026 05:59 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).