An association of brick-and-mortar retail chemists has called on all its 800,000 members nationwide to observe a day-long strike on Friday in protest against the Centre’s move to regularise online sale of medicines.

The All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) has claimed that online sales would raise the risk of drug abuse and drug interactions and threaten the livelihood of its own members and declared a 24-hour strike starting Thursday midnight.

A senior AIOCD official said all pharmacies attached to nursing homes and hospitals would continue to function in public interest and to cater to emergency requirements.

The Union health ministry had earlier this month notified rules that would allow online pharmacies to register and dispense all medicines, except narcotics and psychotropic drugs, tranquillisers and other drugs classified under the Schedule-X category.

Health officials have said online pharmacies are expected to improve patients’ access to medicines. Specific drugs required by patients may not be available in neighbourhood pharmacies and elderly patients might find it difficult to walk to every nearby retail chemist.

But the AIOCD says online pharmacies have potential for abuse in India. “India is not ready for online medicine sales yet,” Sandeep Nangia, secretary, AIOCD, said. “How will online pharmacy outlets verify the prescriptions — we do not have an online database of doctors, anyone could write prescriptions.”

The strike is intended to draw the attention of the government and consumers to the potential threats of online pharmacy sales. “Online sales may increase irrational use of medicines and make it easy to access medicines that could be abused for addiction,” Nangia said.

The AIOCD said the move to regulate online pharmacies would also be a big economic setback to its 800,000 members across the country. This sector represents about 80 lakh workers and their families, the organisation said.

A 2015 report from Frost and Sullivan and the Federation of the Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry had predicted that India’s pharmaceutical market could grow from $55 billion by 2020 from $30 billion in 2015 and online sales could rise to make up to 15 per cent of total sales.

The AIOCD official said if the government does not come up with a “positive response”, the organisation would be compelled to call for a “nationwide indefinite agitation”.