Pharmacy Refuses Bill for Medicine Purchase: What to Do Next

Reviewed on: 2026-05-30.

RTI is useful when a public authority holds the record behind pharmacy refuses bill for medicine purchase. Ask for information, not action. Good RTI points are: current status of file, date-wise movement, copies of deficiency notes, inspection reports, payment release note, dispatch record, rule relied upon, name and designation of the office holding the file, and copies of correspondence between offices. Do not ask the PIO to “solve my grievance” or “punish the officer”. RTI cannot force a private company to refund money unless the record is held by a public authority, but it can expose government-side delay, missing file movement or reasons.

• National Medical Commission
• National Consumer Helpline
• e-Daakhil

• File a consumer complaint online with e-Daakhil
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1. Step 1: Can pharmacy refuse to give bill for medicine purchase? (a) Medicine bill: (i) pharmacy must issue bill for every sale — GST law + Drug Rules, (ii) bill must contain: medicine name, batch number, expiry, MRP, quantity, GST, (iii) refusing bill is illegal — tax evasion + consumer rights violation, (b) common refusals: (i) “system not working”, (ii) “bill for above Rs 500 only”, (iii) “no bill = discount”, (iv) “come later”, © rights: (i) consumer has right to bill — Consumer Protection Act 2019, (ii) GST registered pharmacy must issue tax invoice — CGST Act 2017, (iii) drug traceability — batch number essential, (d) authority: GST department + State Drug Controller + Consumer Forum, (e) law: CGST Act 2017 + Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940 + Consumer Protection Act 2019.
2. Step 2: Comparison table — pharmacy bill refusal scenarios. (a) No bill given: (i) issue: pharmacy refuses bill, (ii) remedy: demand bill + complain to GST dept, (iii) timeline: immediate, (iv) escalation: drug controller, (v) example: pharmacy refused; demanded; bill issued, (b) Discount for no bill: (i) issue: pharmacy offers discount for no bill — tax evasion, (ii) remedy: insist on bill + report to GST dept, (iii) timeline: immediate, (iv) escalation: GST dept, (v) example: pharmacy offered 5% discount; insisted on bill; reported evasion, © Batch number missing: (i) issue: bill has no batch/expiry, (ii) remedy: demand complete bill, (iii) timeline: immediate, (iv) escalation: drug controller, (v) example: batch missing; demanded; corrected bill issued, (d) Online pharmacy: (i) issue: online pharmacy not issuing bill, (ii) remedy: demand e-invoice, (iii) timeline: 24-48 hours, (iv) escalation: drug controller, (v) example: online pharmacy no bill; demanded; e-invoice sent, (e) Schedule H drug: (i) issue: pharmacy sells prescription drug without bill, (ii) remedy: demand bill + complain to drug controller, (iii) timeline: immediate, (iv) escalation: drug controller + police, (v) example: Schedule H sold without bill; complained; pharmacy investigated. (Note: Pharmacy must issue bill for every sale — demand bill, report to GST/drug controller if refused.) - Step 3: How to get bill from pharmacy. (a) Step 1: Demand bill with batch number + expiry, (b) Step 2: If refused — note pharmacy name + GSTIN, © Step 3: Complain to State Drug Controller, (d) Step 4: Report GST evasion to CBIC, (e) Step 5: File consumer complaint — deficiency of service, (f) Step 6: File RTI with State Drug Controller for pharmacy regulations. - Step 5: Practical tips. (a) always demand bill — batch number critical for drug safety, (b) no bill = tax evasion — report, © Schedule H drugs need prescription + bill, (d) consumer forum for harassment, (e) Example: A consumer bought medicines for Rs 2,000; pharmacy refused bill; demanded; refused; complained to Drug Controller; pharmacy fined; bill mandated. - Step 6: Key provisions.** (a) CGST Act 2017: tax invoice, (b) Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940: batch tracking, © Consumer Protection Act 2019, (d) Drug Controller: complaint, (e) RTI: file with drug controller.

See Pharmacy Bill and Diagnostic Report and How to File RTI.