Ban On Online Sale Of Medicines: Madras HC Stays Its Previous Order After E-Pharmacies File Appeal

A Division Bench of the Madras High Court, on Wednesday, stayed an order passed by a single-judge bench of the same court that had banned the sale of medicines online, Economic Times has reported.

The interim stay will be valid until the Central Government notifies rules for online trade of medicines. The court’s ruling came after e-pharmacy companies affected by the ban filed an appeal in the court. The final hearing on the matter will take place on 24 January.

“We are happy and pleased with the order posted by the Division Bench of the Madras High Court staying the sale of online medicines till further orders,” founder of Netmeds, Pradeep Dadha told Economic Times.

On 17 December, Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana had ordered e-pharma companies to apply for licences as described in the rules. However, the rules are yet to be notified by the Centre. The judge had ordered that online trade in drugs and cosmetics should not happen in the absence of rules.

The ban was imposed due to a petition filed by the Tamil Nadu Chemists and Druggists Association. The association was opposed to the sale of medicines online and through mobile phone applications during the draft notification stage as well.