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 Drugs Technical Advisory Board is reportedly reviewing a proposal to limit the sale of over-the-counter drugs. Only 27 essential medicines, including painkillers, antacids, and oral contraceptives, may be allowed without a prescription, with strict controls on dosage and pack size.
Source: bit.ly/4jqjkD0

2. Delhi High Court has upheld the Government’s move to restrict the sale of an anti-cold drug without warning labels against use in children below 4 years after April 15, 2025. For earlier batches, companies must publish notices in two national newspapers, which won’t count as advertisements or violations of license conditions.
Source: bit.ly/3SaUOK0

3. India’s drug regulator has reportedly approved eye drops aimed at controlling myopia progression in children. This pediatric formulation, the first of its kind to be approved in India, has successfully completed Phase III trials and will be available as a prescription drug.
Source: bit.ly/444JxCp

4. A group of doctors with disabilities has urged the World Health Organisation to include sunscreen in its Essential Medicines List, citing its importance for people with albinism who are highly susceptible to UV radiation. They argued that sunscreen is a vital medical need and not a cosmetic.
Source: bit.ly/44KmxJ9

5. The U.S. FDA reportedly plans to phase out several synthetic food dyes linked to health concerns like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and obesity. Two dyes will be banned soon, with six more to be removed by 2026, and new natural color additives will be approved.
Source: bit.ly/3EFTFXQ

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 Madras High Court has imposed a ban on the manufacture, sale, transport, and use of 28 types of single-use plastic items across the areas like the Nilgiris, Kodaikanal, and the Agathiyar Biosphere. Banned items include plastic bottles, food wrapping films, thermocol plates and cups, plastic-coated tableware, straws, carry bags, etc.
Source: bit.ly/3RmpHuX

2. Indian food regulator FSSAI, in response to an RTI, has stated that it lacks authority to regulate baby milk products under the Infant Milk Substitutes, Feeding Bottles, and Infant Foods (Regulation of Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, which regulates baby food marketing, placing enforcement responsibility on the Women and Child Development Ministry.
Source: bit.ly/4lDCPts

3. India’s Health Ministry has released a notification restricting the manufacture and sale of a popular anti cold drug until there is a warning on labels stating they should not be used in children below four years. The notification will take effect from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.
Source: bit.ly/3Y54v08

4. Private hospitals in Nagaland have reportedly suspended admitting patients under Ayushman Bharat, Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana and Chief Minister Health Insurance Scheme from April 17, 2025, due to unpaid dues. The Nagaland Private Doctors Association urged authorities to resolve the issue so services can resume without further delay.
Source: bit.ly/4cAsslY

5. The UK Government has enacted significant reforms to clinical trials regulation. Effective from April 11, 2025, with full implementation by April 2026, the new rules aim to streamline trial approvals, enhance patient safety, enable innovation, and help more people benefit from participating in vital research.
Source: bit.ly/4jDT5ZC

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 a major step to improve business operations and create a fully paperless trade environment, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has made online submissions and digital payments mandatory for enforcement and adjudication procedures under The Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992 (FTD&R Act). This reform is expected to benefit pharmaceutical exporters and the Pharma Export Promotion Council by ensuring quicker, more transparent, and efficient regulatory processes.
Source: bit.ly/41coAlO

2. India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) is preparing to launch an upgraded web portal to simplify the registration process for new hospitals and clinical establishments nationwide. The new system aims to improve transparency, efficiency, and user-friendliness for healthcare providers.
Source: bit.ly/438Aik2

3. While investigating in the case of the illegal export of Tramadol by a pharma company to Pakistan, India’s Enforcement Directorate (ED) has revealed that the company had continued its illicit activities even after their NOC to export to Pakistan was rejected by the Central Bureau of Narcotics. In addition, the promoters had illegally exported large quantities of Tramadol via foreign companies.
Source: bit.ly/4gUgqVc

4. India’s Uttarakhand High Court has instructed the state government to create a policy for the rehabilitation of children with mental health issues. The court raised concerns over unqualified practitioners and inhumane conditions in private institutions. It urged the establishment of centers focused on human rights, ethics, and mental health, and asked the government to submit an action plan within 15 days. The move aligns with global recommendations to improve mental health services and uphold human rights.
Source: bit.ly/4gQKhhd

5. India’s Manipur State Pharmacy Council (MSPC) is taking action against medical shops offering illegal discounts on medicines, alleging that it violates the Pharmacy Practice Regulations 2015 and Pharmacy Act of 1948. Further, advertising such discount also violates the Competition Act of 2002 as it creates unhealthy competition for small drug stores who are procuring medicines from far off places.
Source: bit.ly/3DdCkVr