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 issued the Draft Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) Amendment Regulations, 2025, proposing tighter standards for special wine. The draft introduces a 0.3% sugar tolerance for “Brut” sparkling wine, removes “special wine used,” and makes standard-drink labelling mandatory. A format for public comments has been shared, and feedback is open until 3rd January 2026.
Source 1: urli.info/1jcbJ
Source 2: urli.info/1eoEY

2. The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has reportedly instructed state drug controllers to immediately initiate inspections under the revised Schedule M for the manufacturing units that have not applied for extensions. For manufacturing units that have applied for extensions, the effective date for revised Schedule M implementation is January 1, 2026. The directive follows recent safety lapses, including the fatal cough-syrup incident.
Source: urli.info/1eoDR

3. The Goa Directorate of Food and Drugs Administration (DFDA) has directed all retail pharmacies to display QR codes to facilitate reporting of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) through the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission’s ADR Monitoring System. QR codes must be prominently displayed to enable consumers and healthcare professionals to report ADRs.
Source: urli.info/1jcb0

4. The Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission, in partnership with NITI Aayog and the Central Tuberculosis Division, will reportedly develop new monographs for the anti-tuberculosis medicines delamanid, pretomanid and the rifapentine-isoniazid fixed-dose combination to enhance quality standards, support rational use and strengthen adverse-drug-reaction reporting.
Source: urli.info/1jcaF

5. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued an advisory clarifying stating that honey samples exceeding the permissible 80 mg/kg limit for Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) shall be classified as “Substandard”, not “Unsafe.” The clarification follows the Scientific Panel’s view that current research is insufficient to determine health risks from higher HMF levels.
Source: urli.info/1eoD4

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.Kerala High Court has ordered against the usage of “Dr.” prefix by physiotherapists and occupational therapists who do not possess recognized medical qualification. The order came while considering challenges to recent curriculum provisions allowing such usage, the next hearing is scheduled on December 1, 2025.
Source: urli.info/1em0-

2.The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has fixed the ceiling prices for six scheduled formulations, including riboflavin tablets, peritoneal dialysis solutions, ethyl alcohol, and human normal immunoglobulin. Manufacturers and importers are mandated to align MRPs to the notified prices, file Form V on IPDMS and ensure that retailers/distributors display price list in their premises.
Source: urli.info/1j9u0

3.The Delhi High Court has expressed concern over an advertisement by a leading ayurvedic drug company that labels rival company product as “dhoka” (fraud). The Court questioned whether the use of such terminology crosses the permissible threshold and amounts to impermissible disparagement of a competitor’s product.
Source: urli.info/1j8ZY

4.The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has notified the Food Safety and Standards (Import) First Amendment Regulations, 2025, effective May 1, 2026. The amendment allows FSSAI approved or globally recognized analytical methods and mandates that the notified or referral laboratory to submit duly signed food analysis reports within five days of receiving samples.
Source: urli.info/1j9up

5.The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued a draft amendment to the Drugs Rules, 1945 to include cell or stem-cell derived products, gene therapeutic products and xenografts under the regulatory framework currently governing recombinant DNA derived drugs, aligning regulatory provisions and licensing forms with emerging Source:
advanced biological therapies.
Source: urli.info/1j9ta

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 has amended the New Drugs and Clinical Trials Rules, 2019, permitting bioavailability or bioequivalence (BA/BE) studies in human subjects for export purposes for certain drugs approved in India or any one of the regulated markets (USA, EU, Japan, Australia, Canada, UK) through submission of an online application as notification and its acknowledgement by the Central Licensing Authority, subject to certain conditions. The conditions are mainly ethics committee approval, record-keeping, and minimum sample size.
Source: urli.info/1iRyM

2. India’s Health Ministry has issued the draft amendments to Schedule K of the Drugs Rules, 1945. Liquid antiseptics are now categorized separately for household and hospital use, with distinct labelling and licensing conditions to ensure proper manufacturing, packaging, and sale compliance by licensed manufacturers and wholesalers.
Source: urli.info/1e4F-

3. Indian Food Authority (FSSAI) has issued an advisory to all Designated Officers, Food Safety Officers, and Enforcement Teams to ensure proper disposal of seized, rejected, and expired food, including packaging, through approved methods like incineration, sanitary landfilling, or composting. Disposals must be supervised, video-recorded, and certified by authorised food safety officials.
Source: urli.info/1iRz4

4. Indian medical devices regulator (CDSCO) has issued an updated list of about 1,700 Indian Standards (IS) under the BIS Medical Equipment and Hospital Planning (MHD) division, covering around 20 categories including surgical, diagnostic, orthopaedic, dental, and hospital-planning equipment. All medical devices manufactured, imported, and marketed in India must mandatorily conform to BIS standards for regulatory and quality compliance.
Source: urli.info/1iRz9

5. India’s Health Ministry has proposed amending Schedule H2 of the Drugs Rules, 1945, which contains a category of medicines that are mandated to carry a barcode or QR code on their label, to expand it with a new “Table 2” listing key therapeutic categories vaccines, antimicrobials, narcotic and psychotropic drugs, and anticancer drugs. Stakeholders can submit comments within 30 days.
Source: urli.info/1iRzg

TOP 5 HEALTH LAWS & POLICY UPADATES

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 Licensing authority has mandated to file all Post Approval Change (Form CT-06) applications for Cell and Gene Therapeutic Products exclusively through the SUGAM online portal after October 24 2025. Offline submissions will no longer be accepted thereafter.
Source: urli.info/1e0FX

2. The Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission has reportedly introduced 22 quality standards for blood and its components to ensure safe transfusions across India. These standards, to be included in the Indian Pharmacopoeia 2026, establish globally first comprehensive benchmarks ensuring quality, safety, and infection-free blood for patients nationwide.
Source: urli.info/1iNpx

3. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued draft amendments to the Drugs Rules, 1945, introducing provisions to debar applicants found submitting misleading, fake, or fabricated documents for licences or approvals. Offenders may face suspension for a defined period, with the right to appeal within 30 days. Stakeholder comments invited within 30 days of publication.
Source: urli.info/1e0Fx

4. The Delhi High Court held that a doctor accused of medical negligence can continue to earn a livelihood by working at other medical centres. The Court clarified that the restriction only bars the doctor from running their own centre and does not prevent them from practising their profession elsewhere.
Source: urli.info/1e0FN

5. A Consumer Dispute Redressal Forum in India has held that the absence of a pathologist’s physical signature on medical reports cannot alone justify the denial of an insurance claim. In a case where a policyholder’s claim was rejected due to a missing signature, the forum directed the insurer to reimburse the cost after finding no evidence of fraud.
Source: urli.info/1iNph

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 has directed all manufacturers of high-risk pharma-grade solvents to obtain or register their licences on the ONDLS portal and upload batch-wise details, including quantity, CoA, and vendor information. A list of high-risk solvents has been issued, and State Drug Regulators have been directed to ensure that no batch is sold without compliance to these directions.
Source: urli.info/1iJjN

2. Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) has clarified that manufacturers of risk Class A and B medical devices not listed in its risk classification list must obtain proper risk classification from CDSCO before applying for a manufacturing licence. Investigational medical device manufacturers must also secure prior CDSCO permission before the grant of manufacturing licence.
Source: urli.info/1dXH7

3. India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) has issued a list of Class A non-sterile and non-measuring (NSNM) medical devices which are exempted from licensing requirements. Manufacturers and importers of the listed devices must obtain CDSCO registration as Class A NSNM medical devices under the Medical Devices Rules, 2017.
Source: urli.info/1dXHz

4. The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal has ruled that the Competition Commission of India lacks jurisdiction to investigate alleged anti-competitive conduct involving patented pharmaceutical products, emphasising that the Patents Act, 1970 prevails over the Competition Act, 2002 when the conduct in question arises from the exercise of patent rights.
Source: urli.info/1dXHI

5. The Delhi High Court has upheld the FSSAI’s directive prohibiting companies from using the term “ORS” (Oral Rehydration Solution) on product labels unless the formulation meets prescribed standards. The Court held that public health considerations override commercial claims and that products misleadingly labelled as “ORS” could endanger consumers. While the company may request FSSAI permission to re-label existing stock, the ban itself remains in force.
Source: urli.info/1iJkL

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 Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) has released a draft guidance document outlining regulatory pathways, quality standards, and risk management requirements for Software as a Medical Device (SaMD) and Software in a Medical Device (SiMD). Stakeholders are requested to submit feedback within 30 days.
Source: h7.cl/1iyvi

2. India’s Ministry of Consumer Affairs has amended the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011, to exempt medical devices from the standard packaging declaration requirements. Packages containing medical devices will adhere to the Medical Devices Rules for height and width of numerals and letters used in declarations. This amendment will ensure regulatory consistency and eliminate duplication of compliance requirements.
Source: h7.cl/1iyuq

3. The Health Ministry has issued draft amendments to the Drugs Rules, 1945, proposing that oral formulations with over 12% v/v ethyl alcohol and packed in bottles over 30 ml will be excluded from Schedule K and included in Schedule H1 for prescription-only sale. Stakeholders are requested to submit comments within 30 days.
Source: h7.cl/1dNdh

4. The Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has amended the list of “White Category” of industries, which are exempted from air pollution consent requirements. Now the list includes 86 non-polluting sectors, such as food packaging, small bakeries, etc. to simplify compliance, especially for MSMEs.
Source: h7.cl/1dNcN

5. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has recently issued an order introducing a dedicated “seasonal food business” registration category in the FoSCoS portal. Effective from August 01, 2025, the provision allows retailers and food vending agencies at fairs and festivals to register for up to three months by paying a ₹100 fee.
Source: h7.cl/1dNdx

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 Department of Consumer Affairs has uploaded the list of revised retail sale prices declared by companies in response to the recent GST rate changes. This update reflects company’s adjustments to the new tax rates, impacting pricing across various product categories, including drugs and medical devices.
Source: https://short-url.org/1cK-p

2. Investigations into the cough syrup incident have reportedly revealed that the manufacturer allegedly paid a 10% commission to the doctor for prescribing the syrup. Authorities are continuing their probe, focusing on both the manufacturer and the doctor’s involvement in the case.
Source : https://short-url.org/1cK-H

3. The National Medical Commission is reportedly planning to prohibit pharma and medical device promotions during live surgery broadcasts, citing misuse for marketing over education. Live surgeries will be allowed only for new procedures, with recordings preferred for others, to prevent ethical breaches and ensure patient safety in medical demonstrations
Source: https://short-url.org/1cK-P

4. The Delhi High Court has permitted the launch of an affordable generic version of a drug used to treat spinal muscular atrophy, upholding that a credible challenge was raised to the patent and emphasising that affordable access to life-saving treatment outweighs the need for injunctive relief in public interest.
Source : https://short-url.org/1cL07

5. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reviewed a direct-to-consumer TV advertisement by a major drug manufacturer and found it false and misleading. According to the FDA, the ad’s rapid visuals, background music, and frequent scene changes distracted viewers, hindering understanding of important risk information and creating a misleading perception of the drug’s effectiveness among consumers.
Source : https://short-url.org/1cL04

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 Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), effective October 1, 2025, reportedly excludes medical devices and pharmaceuticals from duty concessions, keeping them protected to safeguard domestic industries. While 92.2% of EFTA and 82.7% of India’s tariff lines are liberalised, sensitive healthcare products will face phased tariff reductions over 5–10 years.
Source: https://short-url.org/1hoSo

2. Central drug regulator (CDSCO) is reportedly set to conduct nationwide inspections and audits of cough syrup manufacturing units after child deaths in Madhya Pradesh were linked to toxic syrups. States and union territories have been directed to submit lists of manufacturers for surveillance, aiming to strengthen quality control and prevent contamination-related tragedies.
Source: https://short-url.org/1cGQR

3. Department of Pharmaceuticals has launched sensitisation programmes to guide pharmaceutical and medical technology companies on the amended Promotion of Research and Innovation in Pharma-MedTech Sector scheme. The sessions will help companies to understand the revised guidelines, and digital application process to ensure smooth participation.
Source: https://short-url.org/1cGR3

4. India’s Central food authority has issued a draft amendment to Packaging regulations 2018 to restrict the use of Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs) in food contact materials. It also states that food materials made with polycarbonate and epoxy resins must be free from Bisphenol A (BPA) and its derivatives. Objections / suggestions are awaited from the industry stakeholders for a period of 60 days from the date of publication.
Source: https://short-url.org/1hoTb

5. State drug inspectors are reportedly seeking enforceable powers to arrest and detain offenders, aiming to curb the growing menace of spurious drugs. The demand follows the recent incident involving contaminated cough syrup sold to paediatric patients, which resulted in multiple child deaths.
Source: https://short-url.org/1hoTt

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 authority has mandated manufacturers of pharmaceuticals to comply with strict testing of raw materials and excipients of every batch and each batch of final product and maintaining records. During inspections, State and UT Drug Controllers will inspect the licensee’s batch release records, ensure there is a robust vendor qualification system, and confirm that raw materials are sourced only from approved vendors.
Source: https://short-url.org/1csET

2. Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) has launched a 100-day awareness campaign on the Goods and Services Tax reduction on medicines and medical devices. Chemists and druggists associations are directed to encourage their members to display awareness posters at pharmacies. Compilation of photographs of the activities undertaken are to be submitted to CDSCO’s headquarter.
Source: https://short-url.org/1csHq

3. The Department of Consumer Affairs has granted three-month permit to leading FMCG, personal care, and medical device firms to use preprinted packaging despite labelling errors. Corrections such as unit sale price, company name, or customer care information must be declared using stamping, stickers, or online printing.
Source: https://short-url.org/1csCZ

4. India has notified its first binding Green House Gas (GHG) emission intensity targets for aluminium, cement, chlor-alkali, and pulp & paper sectors under the GHG Emission Intensity Target Rules, 2025. Industries must reduce emissions per output unit, trade carbon credits, and face penalties for non-compliance, boosting market-driven decarbonization.
Source: https://short-url.org/1habB

5. India’s Central Drug Regulator, CDSCO, has issued a notice inviting stakeholder comments to address disparities in new drug approvals. While the first applicant must conduct full local clinical trials and bioequivalence studies, subsequent applicants gain approval based solely on chemical, pharmaceutical, and bioequivalence data. This creates inequality in regulatory burden and costs. CDSCO seeks feedback by November 7, 2025, to develop fairer drug approval policies.
Source: https://short-url.org/1csDm

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 has reiterated that import of drugs, will be permitted only through notified ports under Rule 43-A of the Drugs Rules, 1945. The designated entry points have been mapped with customs’ ICEGATE system to ensure regulatory oversight and streamline import clearances.
Source: https://short-url.org/1h02u

2. India’s Directorate General of Trade Remedies has initiated an anti-dumping probe into imports of harming domestic producers. The investigation will assess the extent of dumping and its impact for need of anti-dumping duties under Indian laws.
Source: https://short-url.org/1gZMy

3. The National Human Rights Commission has reportedly issued notices to several state governments over multiple child deaths allegedly caused by contaminated cough syrup. It has also directed the drug regulator and Health Ministry to investigate spurious drug supply. Recently, similar action was taken over a gas leak in Maharashtra.
Source: https://short-url.org/1ciNX
https://short-url.org/1ciLx

4. Indian government have reportedly assured Jan Aushadhi Kendra retailers that it will review the newly introduced zero-distance policy, which removed the 1 km minimum distance requirement between outlets in cities with populations of over one million. Retailers are seeking rollback, citing significant losses in sales and profitability due to increased competition.
Source: https://short-url.org/1ciMf

5. The All India Organization of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) has reportedly incorporated its first pharmaceutical Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) in Kerala, marking a significant step in empowering local wholesalers to compete with corporate and foreign players. This initiative aims to consolidate traditional distributors into corporate entities, enhancing efficiency and resource pooling.
Source: https://short-url.org/1ciLM