Advocate Dr. Vedprakash Tiwari
IN a significant move to curb the growing menace of illegal online drug sales, Advocate Dr. Vedprakash Tiwari, has lodged a formal complaint with the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) and the Assistant Commissioner, FDA Zone IV, Greater Mumbai, against Platinum Rx Affolife Retail Pvt. Ltd., a Bengaluru-based company allegedly engaged in the unauthorized online sale and inter-state delivery of prescription medicines.
According to the complaint, the company delivered Schedule H and H1 category medicines — including Amoxyclav 500 mg, Cefix 200, Cof Q D syrup, Cetcip, and Movexx — to a Mumbai customer without a valid prescription from a registered medical practitioner. The deliveries, made through online channels, violate Sections 18(c) and 27(b) of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Rule 65(9)(a) of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945.
Dr. Tiwari highlighted that the Delhi High Court (2018) and Madras High Court (2018) have both explicitly prohibited online sale of medicines without a valid retail license and pharmacist supervision. Despite these clear judicial directions, the company continues to sell and distribute drugs online across states, posing a serious threat to public health.
To expose this unlawful practice, sample orders were placed in the name of Mr. Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, the Drugs Controller General of India, and Mr. Jagat Prakash Nadda, the Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare and Chemicals & Fertilizers. The medicines were successfully delivered in Mumbai, confirming ongoing illegal inter-state sales.
Dr. Tiwari has urged the authorities to conduct an immediate investigation, verify the company’s licensing status, and register an FIR under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for unauthorized online trade in prescription drugs.
“This complaint is filed in the larger public interest to protect citizens from unsafe and unregulated online medicine sales,” said Dr. Tiwari, emphasizing the need for strong enforcement and public awareness against such practices.