Ratish Sharma was out of his blood pressure medication, Telma 40, when he realised he could order it through a popular quick-commerce app. After selecting the medicine, a message appeared that an in-house doctor would call to verify the order and he should keep the prescription handy. He didn't have the prescription so when the call came, the 'doctor' asked a few basic questions like his age and how long he had been taking the medicine. Within seconds, the order was approved. Less than 10 minutes later, a strip of Telma 40 arrived at his doorstep in good condition.
On paper, the platform followed its process but the experience raises a larger question: Are these checks sufficient for medicines that legally require a prescription? If someone without hypertension were to answer those questions convincingly, could they obtain a prescription-only medicine just as easily? Could a brief verification call replace a doctor's assessment of a patient's medical history, kidney function, current medications and whether the drug is appropriate in the first place? Moreover, until the medicines arrive, there is no way to verify its condition, packaging orexpiry date.
Quick-comm sites selling prescription drugs
These questions are becoming increasingly relevant asquick-commerce platformsexpand beyond groceries to healthcare. The convenience they offer is undeniable, especially for elderly patients, people with chronic illnesses and those who may find it difficult to visit a pharmacy. But leading doctors say that while medicines should become easier to access, one cannot bypass prescription safeguards.
To understand where the balance should lie, Times Now Digital spoke to physicians and internal medicine specialists about the risks of buying prescription medicines online, what consumers should know about expiry dates and the simple precautions everyone should take before ordering medicines through e-pharmacies and quick-commerce platforms.
"Prescription regulations exist primarily to protect patients by ensuring medicines are used safely and appropriately," says Dr Amit Prakash Singh, Consultant - Internal Medicine, CK Birla Hospital, Delhi. He says that medicines such as Telma 40 (telmisartan) are prescribed only after considering several factors, including a person's blood pressure, kidney function, medical history and other medications they may be taking. "When prescription medicines are supplied without proper medical evaluation, there is a risk that the person may be taking the wrong drug, the wrong dose or using it for an inappropriate condition. This can lead to complications such as excessively low blood pressure, dizziness, fainting, kidney dysfunction or dangerous interactions with other medicines. Self-medication may also delay the diagnosis of an underlying health problem that requires proper medical attention," he says.
Dr Khazi Javeed Irfan, Senior Consultant, Internal Medicine, SPARSH Hospital, Bengaluru, agrees that a prescription is much more than a formality. Medicines prescribed for chronic conditions often require regular monitoring, something a quick verification call cannot assess. "A person may unknowingly consume the wrong dose, combine it with unsuitable medicines or use it despite kidney disease, low blood pressure or electrolyte imbalance. Prescription medicines need medical supervision because their safety depends on the patient's overall condition, medical history and follow-up," he says.
According to Dr Ishwar Gilada, Mumbai-based physician and infectious diseases expert, the risks extend well beyond blood pressure medicines. Easy access to prescription drugs can encourage self-medication, potentially masking serious illnesses, delaying diagnosis and exposing patients to harmful drug interactions or allergic reactions. He also cautions that unrestricted access to antibiotics contributes to antimicrobial resistance, while prolonged unsupervised use of medicines such as sleeping pills, anti-anxiety drugs and opioid painkillers can lead to dependence.
Dos and don'ts of buying medicines online
The doctors also urge consumers not to overlook expiry dates, especially when medicines are ordered online and this is a big limitation of ordering medicines online is that consumers often have little control over which specific strip they receive. Unlike at a physical pharmacy, where a buyer can check the packaging and expiry before purchasing, online orders are typically packed and dispatched without giving customers an opportunity to verify such details. By the time the medicine reaches the doorstep, the transaction has already been completed, making it all the more important for consumers to inspect the packaging before consuming the medicine.
Source: India Latest News, Breaking News Today, Top News Headlines | Times Now
