As part of a nationwide strike called by the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD), around 40,000 medical shops in Tamil Nadu remained closed on Wednesday. The strike aims to oppose illegal e-pharmacy operations and predatory pricing by large corporate companies.
However, chain pharmacies affiliated to hospitals and state-owned retail outlets did not participate in the strike. Approximately 5,000 pharmacies remained open, prompting the drug control department to set up helpline numbers and deploy drug inspectors to monitor medicine availability and public health issues.
