E-pharmacies' business surges 25-65% amid second COVID-19 wave

EY estimates India's online pharmacy sector to grow to about $2.7 billion by 2023 from $360 million in 2019.

Moneycontrol News

May 05, 2021 / 10:29 IST

Consumers are “apprehensive about exposure” while venturing outside for medicines and lab results and prefer online options. (Representative image: Reuters)

E-pharmacies in India have seen a 25-65 percent jump in their sales, mostly of common drugs, health supplements, medical devices and personal protective equipment (PPE).

A soaring number of infections during the second coronavirus wave in the country, coupled with local lockdowns, have made people turn to online health resources instead of usual visits to offline pharmacies and diagnostic centres, The Economic Times has reported.

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1mg said sales of Doxzee and Fabiflu, both used in the treatment of COVID-19, have jumped 40-50 times in April compared to March. The demand for COVID-19 related products increased five times in April from March, it said. Sales would be much higher if product supplies were available.

Prashant Tandon, co-founder and CEO of 1mg, told the newspaper that consumers are “apprehensive about exposure” while venturing outside for medicines and lab results and prefer online options. “…need at present is unbounded,” he said, adding the company was “actively investing” to cater to demand.

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