Dear Readers, we are happy to share the most interesting legal and policy updates concerning health industry that we read today. We hope you enjoy reading it.
1. The Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court ruled that prosecution under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act cannot proceed if the accused is deprived of the statutory right to seek re-analysis of a drug sample by the Central Drugs Laboratory. The court quashed proceedings where the expiry of the sample’s shelf life prevented the accused from exercising this legal safeguard of having the samples tested by the Central Drugs Laboratory.
Source: shortlink.uk/1mQEt
2. India’s central food regulator (FSSAI) has amended the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011. Key changes allow the authority to set turnover thresholds for registration, grant instant registration on document submission, recognize street vendors registered under the Street Vendors law, introduce risk-based inspections and audits, and suspend licences for non-payment of fees or failure to file returns.
Source: shortlink.uk/1mQEx
3. The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has delegated key regulatory functions related to veterinary drugs to its zonal offices. Zonal offices will now process Test License (Form 11) applications for import and issue NOCs for Form 29 licenses for manufacturing veterinary drugs for testing or analysis, excluding biologicals.
Source: shortlink.uk/1s3ug
4. India’s Drugs Technical Advisory Board, in its 93rd meeting, recommended amending the Drugs Rules, 1945 to introduce licensing provisions for drug marketers. The move aims to strengthen regulatory oversight and monitoring of entities that market drugs manufactured by other companies under their own label.
Source: shortlink.uk/1s3uq
5. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has reportedly encouraged plant-based food manufacturers to include QR codes on product labels to help consumers easily access ingredient lists and nutritional information. The regulator said the move currently voluntary can address label space limitations, improve transparency, and build consumer trust in the rapidly growing plant-based food sector.
Source: shortlink.uk/1s3uD