Posted on

TOP 5 HEALTH LAWS AND POLICY UPDATES

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. India’s Health Ministry (MoH&FW) is considering a proposal to amend the New Drugs and Clinical Trials (NDCT) Rules, 2019 with an aims to reduce animal usage and minimize sacrifices during drug testing procedures. The amendment aims to remove the requirement for applicants to submit sub-acute animal toxicity study data for intravenous infusions and injections when seeking permission to import or manufacture a new drug already approved in the country.
Source: bit.ly/4f88Plu

2. India’s National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) has introduced its first edition of Care Home Accreditation Standards to enhance quality and safety in care homes centres nationwide. This initiative focuses on ensuring that even the most vulnerable populations receive top-tier care.
Source: bit.ly/40a4U3m

3. The Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), along with Jamia Millia Islamia University and Jan Swasthya Sewa Sansthan, has launched a global initiative called Community Focused Oral Health Research for Equity (CORE). This program aims to address oral health problems and improve health systems so that high-quality oral health services are available, affordable, and accessible to all.
Source: bit.ly/3UbOOCm

4. In India, the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical sectors are increasingly using LipoDuo technology to improve product stability, shelf life, and formulation options. This technology, reportedly, is ideal for creating advanced products and supports ongoing innovations that lead to more effective and stable formulations.
Source: bit.ly/3NtR4Bb

5. India’s National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) is recalculating the ceiling prices for three antibiotics based on a review application submitted by a major pharmaceutical company. The company had claimed that the pricing authority made errors in its calculations.
Source: bit.ly/4f88I9y

Posted on

TOP 5 HEALTH LAWS AND POLICY UPDATES

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. A recent Right to Information filing before the Ministry of Health and Family welfare has brought to  attention that the Central government has not notified or published procedure in light of the  proposed 2022 Amendment to the National Medical Commission Act, 2019 which aimed to allow appeal against decisions of the State and National Medical Commission before the autonomous Ethics and Medical Review Board.
Source: bit.ly/486DMnN
Source: bit.ly/4h3sHaZ

2. The Jammu and Kashmir High Court held in a recent decision that the insurance company does not have the discretion to reduce the eligible claim amount solely on the basis that compensation has already been given to the claimant from the government.
Source: bit.ly/48a2Bz6

3. The Department of Consumer Affairs has issued the Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Greenwashing and Misleading Environmental Claims, 2024. These guidelines regulates the nature of technical terms that can be used in these claims, and prescribes requirements for substantiation of the claims.
Source: bit.ly/3A3vIYi

4. The National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories, has proposed to initiate a program for accreditation of bio-banking facilities modelled after the international standards as prescribed under ISO 20367:2019.
Source: bit.ly/3BJfa8z

5. The United States Drug Administrative Science Board has recommended that the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) set up an office to monitor alternatives to animal testing methods, and bring them within the quality control regime of the USFDA.
Source: bit.ly/3U7gW9N

Posted on

TOP 5 HEALTH LAWS AND POLICY UPDATES

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. India’s National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) in public interest has approved 50% increase of ceiling price of eleven scheduled formulations of eight drugs from the current ceiling prices along with annual price increase as per the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) in April. This comes as a recommendation from the Inter-Ministerial Committee.
Source: bit.ly/3zOtSKV

2. Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) of Ahmedabad has upheld the disallowance of amount claimed by a leading pharmaceutical company relating to promotional activities for doctors like accommodation, freebies etc and declared it as inadmissible for tax deductions. The activities were claimed as marketing tools rather than business necessities
Source: bit.ly/4eZ8fH7

3. India’s Central Drug Authority (CDSCO) along with National Regulatory Authority of India (NRA) and affiliated institutions after an evaluation by global experts have satisfied the WHO’s requirements for a functional vaccine regulatory system. Safety, efficacy, and quality are three basic parameters for the assessment of vaccines.
Source: bit.ly/4eJmn6S

4. The National Council for Clinical Establishments (NCCE) has recommended to allow the physiotherapists to own and run the clinics as per the amendment proposed in the Clinical Establishments (CE) Act, 2010. The decision comes as a relief to the physiotherapists and their organizations, which has been fighting legally to attain its right to own and run a clinic, which was not allowed as per the Act notified in 2010.
Source: bit.ly/3BMLs2s

5. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, has issued a Trade Notice to give clarification on the import and re-import provisions for “Exhibits and Samples” that are exported for display or exhibition purposes. This move is expected to support businesses and industries, including the pharmaceutical industry participating in both domestic and foreign exhibitions to facilitate effortless import or re-import of goods for exhibition or display without imposing further bureaucratic obstacles.
Source: bit.ly/4h7x9FD

Posted on

TOP 5 HEALTH LAWS AND POLICY UPDATES

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 Union AYUSH Ministry has prohibited to advertise Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, and Homeopathy drugs with claims of “miraculous or supernatural effects” in order to prevent misleading advertisements with unverified claims. The ministry instructed that such drugs should contain a caution to be taken under medical supervision on its label. Additionally, the ministry issued a public notice clarifying that it does not certify, grants license or approves any company for making ayurvedic drugs.
Source: bit.ly/4eXXjsL
2. India’s central drug regulator (CDSCO) is actively investigating social media influencers who promote false claims, quick fixes and misleading medical content.
Source: bit.ly/4eGfqDC 

3. The Pune division of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has taken action against three drug firms for violating the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954. The firms were found selling Ayurvedic medicines with misleading claims to cure diabetes, arthritis, and kidney ailments, leading to the seizure of products.
Source: bit.ly/3XUC5Fe

4. The Delhi High Court ruled that a mere fraction of a cause of action occurring in a jurisdiction is insufficient to invoke the court’s territorial jurisdiction. The decision of the court said that in order to raise the territorial jurisdiction of a specific court, there must be a significant link of the matter to the specified territory, reinforcing the standards for filing cases in the court.
Source: bit.ly/3ZXxPr1

5. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in UK has unveiled its 2024/25 business plan, which prioritizes enhancing access to innovative healthcare technologies while optimizing service delivery. Key initiatives of the plan include the implementation of new IT systems and a commitment to public engagement and diversity in regulatory processes, aimed at reinforcing the UK’s position in life sciences and improving pandemic preparedness.
Source: bit.ly/3BES5Ux

Posted on

TOP 5 HEALTH LAWS AND POLICY UPDATES

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. India’s Department of Consumer Affairs has requested comments from stakeholders regarding the declaration of units of measurement for the net quantity of food wrapping paper and aluminum foils used for carrying food products. The proposal suggests including both “weight” and dimensions (length x breadth), i.e., kg and meters x meters (or cm x cm), rather than only weight or dimensions. This proposal aims to inform consumers about the actual quantity of packing material delivered.
Source: bit.ly/3Yld47H

2. The Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC), under India’s Health Ministry, has released an updated Medical Device Adverse Event Reporting Form for the reporting of Medical Device Adverse Events (MDAEs). The form states that reporting any MDAE will not have any legal implications for the reporter, and the reporter’s identity will be protected and kept strictly confidential.
Source: bit.ly/3XYGbwc

3. India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoH&FW) is considering a proposal to amend the timelines for conducting audits and verifying compliance for grant of manufacturing license for medical devices in India. Currently, the Medical Devices Rules, 2017, do not specify these timelines, leading to delays in Quality Management System (QMS) inspections and the subsequent compliance verification processes.
Source: bit.ly/3ZXbr12

4. India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoH&FW) is considering a proposal to restrict the eligibility requirements for qualifying as a competent person for obtaining a wholesale license for the sale, stocking, exhibition, or distribution of drugs in India to those with a pharmacy background, specifically D. Pharmacy, B. Pharmacy, M. Pharmacy, Pharm D, or individuals who are Registered Pharmacists.
Source: bit.ly/3ZXbr12

5. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoH&FW) is considering a proposal to ensure mandatory reporting of Serious Adverse Events (SAE) related to medical devices, including In-Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices, by the manufacturer or importer of these devices in India. Currently, under the Medical Devices Rules 2017, there is no mandatory requirement for reporting such events by the license holder.
Source: bit.ly/3ZXbr12

Posted on

TOP 5 HEALTH LAWS AND POLICY UPDATES

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 Drugs Technical Advisory Body, in its 91st meeting, has recommended the exemption of several chemical contraceptives at specific dosage values, from the labelling requirements under Schedule H which would have limited sale by prescription only.
Source: bit.ly/3ZWiqqU

2. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade has amended the export policy for cough Syrup, amending an earlier notification, exempting the requirement for pre-export testing for jurisdictions including the USA, EU, and South Korea which may already have granted approval.
Source: bit.ly/3YfvOVP
Source: bit.ly/3YeH6tI

3. The Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate change has notified the Liquid Waste Management Rules, 2024 set to come into force from 1st October; which govern the treatment and management of liquid effluents arising from domestic and industrial activities including treatment of wastewater, sludge generated during treatment of wastewater and reuse/reutilization of any wastewater or sludge generated.
Source: bit.ly/3YhCpzl

4. In a recent public notice, the Central Government Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH) has clarified that it does not license or ratify any AYUSH products or medicines, and warned against the advertising of AYUSH products as “Miracle Cures”. This comes in the light of the Ministry of AYUSH having repealed Rule 170 of the Drugs Rules, 1945, which regulated AYSUH advertising.
Source: bit.ly/4dzToBi
Source: bit.ly/3XXf9Fi

5. The European Commission’s Medical Device Coordination Group (MDCG) has issued a voluntary document to supplement its earlier Designation, re-assessment and notification of conformity assessment bodies and notified bodies, which is intended to guide notified bodies to impose corrective and preventative action.
Source: bit.ly/4eYr4JJ

Posted on

TOP 5 HEALTH LAWS AND POLICY UPDATES

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 Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has waived off the registration fees of hawkers for the grant of registration certificate and renewal of registration certificate with effect from 28th September 2024. The registration certificate will now be issued for five years only. Previously an option for selection of validity from one to five years was available to the applicant.
Source: bit.ly/4dy8EyA

2. Drug manufacturers submitting false or misleading information may reportedly face legal action from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI). As of now, the Drugs Rules, 1945 contains no provision addressing the problem of providing false, falsified, or misleading information for receiving regulatory approvals. As per the plan, the applicant may face debarment in addition to product suspension and cancellation for misleading the licensing authority.
Source: bit.ly/3Nh4D6V

3. An exemption has been granted for the generation of E-way bills for the transportation of job work, storage, and warehousing of goods, specifically turmeric, chilli (genus: Capsicum), and raisins, by the Maharashtra Government. This exemption applies on the condition that such goods are transported within the State of Maharashtra for a distance of up to fifty kilometers with no cap on consignment value.
Source: bit.ly/4dxlj4M

4. India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoH&FW) is reportedly considering a proposal to classify all antibiotics as ‘new drugs’ under the New Drugs and Clinical Trials Rules, 2019. The aim is to regulate all antibiotics centrally through Central Licensing authority (CDSCO) rather than by State Licensing Authorities. The proposal also seeks to amend labelling requirements under the Drugs Rules, 1945, to address the rising concern over Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), which has been highlighted as a global health priority.
Source: bit.ly/3ByExtw

5. Concerns over the potential harmful effects of hormonal contraceptives, particularly emergency contraceptive pills (ECP) or morning-after pills, have prompted India’s Central drug authority (CDSCO) to constitute an expert panel to discuss the possibility of requiring a doctor’s prescription before purchasing these drugs. The proposal to amend Drugs Rules is under examination by the three member committee constituted by CDSCO. As of now, hormonal contraceptives falling under Schedule K of the Drugs rules can be purchased without a prescription from a physician.
Source: bit.ly/4dFTXcT

Posted on

TOP 5 HEALTH LAWS AND POLICY UPDATES

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. In the most recent 91st Meeting of the Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) which advises the central government on drug regulatory policy matters, the DTAB has recommended the use of QR code to identify genuine anti-cancer medication, in recognition of recent cases of spurious drugs sale coming to light.
Source: bit.ly/3zP609I

2. The DTAB, has provided rationale for its decision to reject waiver of Clinical Performance Evaluation for IN-Vitro Devices (IVDs) which are already approved internationally. The DTAB expressed its opinion that the performance of IVDs are variable based on the population, and their performance and effectiveness cannot be taken for granted across demographic lines.
Source: bit.ly/3ZV6hT7

3. The Indian Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change has notified the new Ecomark Rules, aimed at replacing the erstwhile Ecomark Scheme, 1991. These rules specify criteria for approving ecomark for a product including: recyclability, reduction in pollution and use of non-recyclable resources, and sustainability of production process.
Source: bit.ly/3TXRP9a

4. The Bombay High Court clarified that any seized sample would have to be separated and the individual components of the Cannabis plant identified, because Ganja is defined under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, Act 1985 only as the “flowering tops” of the Cannabis plant, and for that reason the seeds and leaves cannot be counted towards identifying whether an accused was carrying “commercial quantity” of Ganja.
Source: bit.ly/3NgyD2P

5. In a departure from government policy, the Drugs Consultative Commission (DCC) decided that including the International Nomenclature of Cosmetics Ingredients would be difficult to accommodate, and for that reason all cosmetics manufacturers should continue to adhere to the applicable standards set by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) for their ingredients.
Source: bit.ly/3NduBbB

Posted on

TOP 5 HEALTH LAWS AND POLICY UPDATES

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. India’s Central Drug Regulator the Central Drugs Standards Control Organization (CDSCO) has been made an affiliate member of the International Medical Device Regulators Forum (IMDRF). The application submitted by the Indian Government has been accepted contingent on the adoption of comprehensive regulation of Medical Devices in alignment with the existing international standards.
Source: bit.ly/3TQ1GOb

2. India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has introduced Guidelines for Withdrawal of Life Support in Terminally Ill Patients, which sets out the institutional oversight requirements to facilitate ethical and informed decision-making in this regard.
Source: bit.ly/4eReyf6

3. The Supreme Court has held that in case of criminal suits which have an overwhelming civil quality, i.e. are based on private wrongs, where the parties to such criminal suits have already settled with each other, High Courts should exercise their powers under Sec. 482 of the CrPC and quash the underlying criminal proceedings.
Source: bit.ly/4dyF1wQ

4. India’s Central Drugs regulatory authority the Central Drugs Standards Control Organization (CDSCO) has decided that it will initiate action against a manufacturer of eye-drops, which had recently made social-media posts and conducted conferences regarding its new product, which had come under scrutiny for the claim that it would manage near-sightedness, and in pursuance of that, forwarded the matter to the State Drug Regulator of the state of Gujarat where the company is based.
Source: bit.ly/4dtuYJL

5. A prominent US based medical systems and medical devices manufacturer which has suffered a data-breach of its systems leading to the leak of sensitive personal and medical information of its patients, is currently facing a class-action lawsuit on grounds that the breach was caused due to non-adherence to industry standard practices in data storage and security.
Source: bit.ly/3BHdjRl

Posted on

TOP 5 HEALTH LAWS AND POLICY UPDATES

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. India’s National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) has directed one of the medical device company to pay ₹35 lakh to a consumer as compensation for medical complications arising from the inherently defective design of hip replacement device.
Source: bit.ly/3XP4bla

2. India’s Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has issued the Ecomark Rules, 2024, detailing the criteria for granting the “Ecomark”. These rules intend to promote environmentally friendly products and support green industries.
Source: bit.ly/47PY0ly

3. India’s District Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission (DCDRC) of North East Delhi, has ordered a leading hospital to pay compensation for negligence to a patient who had met with a road accident on the ground of deficiencies in the services and failure to meet medical obligations.
Source: bit.ly/3ByeP8E

4. India’s Bombay High Court has issued a restraining order in a trademark infringement case against five juice center outlets in Kerala for unauthorized use of the Haji Ali trademark. The court observed the outlets continued using the name, trademark, and logo of Mumbai’s iconic Haji Ali Juice Centre despite the termination of their franchise agreement.
Source: bit.ly/3XP4RXK

5. The Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC), under India’s Health Ministry, has issued a drug alert regarding the rampant use of “Tetracycline.” The commission advises both doctors and patients to exercise caution while prescribing this medication, as it may cause adverse reactions, specifically Fixed Drug Eruption (FDE).
Source: bit.ly/3Yb5nkp