Highlighting the proliferation of “psychologically manipulative, anti-competitive and legally non-compliant” pharmaceutical advertising campaigns being run on social media by unregulated online medicine sellers and retail chains, the Bangalore District Chemists and Druggists Association (BCDCA) has complained to the Competition Commission of India (CCI) seeking a comprehensive probe.
In a representation submitted to the CCI chairperson Ravneet Kaur on July 3, the chemists body has said such advertising campaigns mislead consumers and exploit emotions while promoting irrational medicine use. Such campaigns also undermine regulated pharmacy practice – fueling antimicrobial resistance and endangering public health, the representation stated.
“The CCI should take suo motu cognizance of the grave and growing menace posed by unregulated pharmaceutical advertisements, deceptive discounting strategies, and algorithm-driven predatory pricing on social media and digital platforms. These practices are not merely anti-competitive – they represent a direct assault on public health, patient safety, and ethical pharmacy practice across our nation,” the representation stated.
Legal investigation
“We appeal to the CCI chairperson to conduct a detailed legal investigation into the functioning, algorithms, and pricing models of unregulated digital medicine sellers and retail chains of medical stores and their affiliated advertising networks,” BDCDA president B. Thirunavukkarasu told The Hindu on Friday.
Pointing out that licensed pharmacists are professionally trained health custodians, he said their roles must not be undermined by “algorithmic advertisements and discount-hunting psychology” engineered by tech platforms. “Each manipulated advertisement damages not just reputations, but real lives,” he asserted.
“We want the CCI to set up a dedicated ‘Social Media and Digital Platform Monitoring Cell’ to check the unregulated advertisement campaigns on social media. The cell should comprise representatives from Narcotics Control Bureau, Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre, Department of Consumer Affairs, National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority, Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), State Food Safety and Drug Administration and Pharmacy Council of India (PCI),” he said.
Real-time surveillance
“This cell should be empowered with real-time surveillance, penal enforcement powers, and regulatory oversight capabilities to combat and dismantle what now amounts to ‘National Public Health Terrorism’ – where commercial digital platforms, for profit, are compromising the very sanctity of ethical healthcare delivery,” he asserted.
Demanding that legal proceedings be initiated and interim restraint orders be issued against the violators, Mr. Thirunavukkarasu said: “The CCI should recommend or direct the immediate suspension of advertisement campaigns involving Schedule H/H1 medicines lacking proper prescription safeguards. It should also mandate the enforcement of standardised public health disclaimers across all digital medicine-related advertisements.”
Published – July 04, 2025 11:33 pm IST
