05-08-2025
Not Just Pharmacy: How Medkart is Building Indias Smartest Generic Medicine App
NewsVoirAhmedabad (Gujarat) [India], August 5: India's pharmaceutical landscape is undergoing a vital transformation. Despite being home to one of the world's largest medicine markets, millions of Indian families continue to struggle with the high cost of treatment. Studies show that over 50% of healthcare expenses in India are still paid out-of-pocket, leaving many to either delay care or make painful trade-offs between health and household priorities. In this environment, the need for accessible and affordable options is critical. This is where smart, tech-enabled platforms focused on generic medicines are stepping up. The growing shift toward generics, supported by stricter manufacturing standards and better public awareness, is unlocking a new healthcare era for India, one where savings don't have to mean Industry Context: Healthcare Costs and E-Pharmacy BoomIndia's healthcare system places a significant financial burden on individuals, with many patients still covering treatment costs themselves. According to the National Health Accounts Estimates 2021-22 released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, out-of-pocket expenditure accounted for approximately 39.4% of total health spending, down from 62.6% in 2014-15, but still substantial. This is particularly challenging for families managing chronic conditions like diabetes or hypertension, where monthly medicine expenses quickly add up but there is hardly any insurance that covers it. Meanwhile, a widespread lack of awareness persists: many patients are still unaware that most branded drugs have affordable generic counterparts, regulated for safety and efficacy by India's pharmaceutical while generic medicines make up nearly 70% of India's pharma volume, a persistent perception problem remains: Are they as good as brands? Can they be trusted? These doubts, often fueled by misinformation and inconsistent supply chains, have kept many patients from making the is changing Medkart Solves: A System Plagued by Price Confusion and InequityDespite the availability of generics, most Indian consumers continue to purchase costly branded medicines due to a lack of information, trust, or local access. Chronic disease patients – especially those with diabetes or hypertension, which account for approximately 68% of India's chronic illness burden are hit hardest by monthly tier-2 and rural customers also struggle with access. A patient needing basic chronic meds often travels kilometres, pays for branded substitutes, and ends up spending nearly 30% of household income on drugs India's Smartest Generic App PlatformMedkart's app is designed as the simplest platform to use for smart medicine buying– Generic Medicine Comparison Engine: India's first price- comparison tool for generics lets users compare prices and compositions instantly. Voriconazole, a multipurpose drug, shows savings of up to 86% (MRP Rs. 5,192 vs Medkart's price Rs. 720).– Chronic Disease Navigation: Medicines are categorised into disease buckets (Diabetes, BP, Kidney, Heart), aligned with India's leading disease burdens.– Prescription Upload & Matching: Users upload their prescription, and the app matches it with 'Medkart Assured" generics, tested for Schedule M compliance and plant-audited.– WhatsApp Integration: With nearly 600M Indian WhatsApp users, Medkart offers order placement via WhatsApp, breaking digital barriers for older and rural patients.– Store + Delivery Hybrid Model: With 100+ retail stores and coverage across 35,000+ pin codes, Medkart offers online delivery with COD or many ways to pay.
