E-commerce Giant Amazon launches online pharmacy in India

The e-commerce giant Amazon has launched the first Indian online pharma delivery service as it attempts to grab more of the increasing e-commerce market of the country. In this space, the US giant is competing with Walmart-backed Flipkart and JioMart, owned by Asia’s richest man, Mukesh Ambani.

Scope of Online Medicine Delivery

India is a country of around 1.3 billion people and it is now the third most-hit country by the deadly COVID 19 infection, in terms of the number of infected patients. India has around 2.5 million coronavirus infections and the healthcare startups are experiencing huge demand due to this. Amazon will help them deliver the medicines to the customers, thereby widening their customer base. India’s digital health market is forecast to explode from around $4.5 billion in 2020-21 to around $25 billion by the year 2025 and Amazon does not want to stay behind in the race to capture this huge market.

About the Service by Amazon

Amazon offers the facility to the customers in Bengaluru to order prescription and over-the-counter medicines and basic health devices from the certified sellers. This facility will be extended to the other cities also very soon. Amazon already offers online pharmacy sales in the US and other European countries and now it has started in India as well.

Statutory Requirement to work as an Online Pharmacy

In India, the E-Pharmacies are required to register with the Central Licensing Authority so that they can start selling prescription drugs to the customers, online. Amazon India is expected to enter into agreements with the license holders so that they can offer the pharmacy services in India.

Month: Current Affairs - August, 2020