10-Minute Medicine Delivery By Blinkit, Zepto Triggers Antibiotic Resistance Fears
Blinkit and Zepto’s 10-minute prescription medicine delivery raises alarm over antibiotic misuse and weak verification.
Quick-commerce giants Blinkit and Zepto have introduced 10-minute delivery services for prescription medicines, promising unprecedented convenience for users. While the move aligns with India’s growing demand for instant access to essential drugs, it has drawn widespread criticism from medical professionals and public health experts over potential risks, including poor prescription verification and the possibility of antibiotic misuse.
The controversy gained attention after an X (formerly Twitter) user, Neha Moolchandani, shared her experience of ordering medicines via Blinkit. She described how she was connected to a doctor for a teleconsultation, who generated prescriptions within minutes before the medicines were dispatched. One of the prescriptions included Azithromycin 500mg, an antibiotic, highlighting potential risks of unnecessary antibiotic use and contributing to antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
Doctors have raised concerns over the service’s weak oversight mechanisms. Dr. Cyriac Abby Philips noted that such rapid consultations could result in inappropriate prescriptions, reducing the quality of healthcare. Dr. Rishikesh Balvalli added that the process often involves generating prescriptions for medicines already purchased, effectively bypassing rigorous medical scrutiny and shifting legal responsibility to doctors.
The legal and ethical concerns are significant. Under India’s Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Pharmacy Act, 1948, prescription medicines, especially Schedule H, H1, and X drugs, must be dispensed under licensed supervision. Quick-commerce platforms are not authorized to store or sell these drugs, raising questions about the legality of instant prescriptions and potential for misuse. Experts also worry that this could facilitate the overuse of antibiotics, psychotropic medications, and painkillers, creating public health risks.
Instances of lapses in prescription verification further exacerbate the problem. Experts warn that instant teleconsultations, minimal verification of medical credentials, repeated use of prescription images, and acceptance of potentially forged prescriptions could endanger users. Unlike traditional pharmacies that scrutinize prescriptions carefully, quick-commerce services may lack equivalent safeguards, leading to misuse and resistance concerns.
While ultra-fast medicine delivery could save lives in emergencies, doctors emphasize that these services must be implemented with strict medical oversight. Without proper checks, such platforms risk undermining India’s healthcare system, promoting antibiotic resistance, and compromising patient safety, turning convenience into a potential public health hazard.
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