Domestic traders body CAIT on Wednesday alleged malpractices and violation of rules by e-pharmacy firms, and urged the government to take action against them. In a memorandum to Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) said it “has strongly raised the issue of malpractices being conducted in online pharmacy trade and alleged” that firms including “Pharmeasy, and1Mg” are conducting business practices in contravention of provisions of The Drug and Cosmetics Act, 1940.

CAIT also alleged that these firms are misusing the e-commerce landscape by operating on low prices with 30-40 per cent discount and free shipping.

“It’s a case of capital dumping in these e-pharmacies by foreign behemoths. Which can prove extremely detrimental to the sustenance and future of the lakhs of small chemists across the country,” it said in a statement.