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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 food authority, FSSAI has notified the Food Safety and Standards (Vegan Foods) Amendment Regulations, 2026 which introduces revised official logo specifications for approved vegan food products, replacing the 2022 framework. Mandating the updated logo on all approved packages, the new requirements will take effect from July 1, 2027, offering businesses a transition period for packaging updates.
Source: shortlink.uk/1qVzx

2. The Department of Consumer Affairs has amended the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011, allowing importers to make mandatory declarations at bonded warehouses of Tier-2 and Tier-3 Authorised Economic Operators. The amendments also require disclosure of the director responsible for violations, mandate annual updates of registration details, and clarify that registration certificates will remain valid until cancelled.
Source: shortlink.uk/1qVzz

3. The Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) has launched a centralized online patient feedback system across its hospitals and dispensaries to strengthen patient-centric healthcare delivery and improve service quality. The digital platform enables beneficiaries to submit feedback on various aspects of healthcare services, including medical care, staff behaviour, cleanliness, waiting time, and overall patient experience. The initiative aims to facilitate real-time monitoring of patient satisfaction, enhance accountability, and support timely resolution of grievances.
Source: shortlink.uk/1wkLy

4. The Delhi High Court has allowed pharmaceutical company to continue selling its cancer drug Bevatas, overturning an earlier order. The court ruled that Bevatas and Bevetex are sufficiently distinct in appearance, pronunciation and use, making consumer confusion unlikely and permitting continued sales.
Source: shortlink.uk/1wkLD

5. The National Medical Commission has issued an advisory directing all medical colleges to mandatorily implement safe injection practices, including exclusive use of sterile single-use needles and syringes, strict infection prevention measures, proper biomedical waste disposal, periodic staff training, and prompt reporting of needle-stick injuries to prevent the transmission of blood-borne infections such as HIV, Hepatitis B (HBV), and Hepatitis C (HCV).
Source: shortlink.uk/1wkLF

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 Department of Consumer Affairs met with major edible oil industry associations on 20 May 2026 to discuss standardizing pack sizes between 200 ml and 20 litres. The initiative aims to enhance consumer protection, ensure transparency in pricing, and prevent misleading packaging. Associations representing 90% of the sector supported the proposal, recommending exemptions for minor oils and packs below 200 ml, with a three month transition period for implementation.
Source: shortlink.uk/1vJbr

2. The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has clarified that Form CT-16 applications for import of Reference Listed Drugs (RLDs) or Investigational Medicinal Products (IMPs) for export-oriented BA-BE studies may be submitted on a standalone basis through the NSWS portal. The clarification addresses operational issues due to lack of system linkage between CT-05 prior intimation applications and CT-16 applications on the SUGAM portal.
Source: shortlink.uk/1vJby

3. The Karnataka Pharma Retailers & Distributors Organization (KPRDO) has urged the government to immediately curb misleading advertisements and aggressive promotional practices relating to prescription, life-saving, and scheduled medicines, particularly across social media platforms. The organisation has also called for the creation of a specialised enforcement team and digital monitoring mechanism to address regulatory violations under the Drugs & Cosmetics Act and the Drugs & Magic Remedies Act. The recommendations could also intensify scrutiny on pharmaceutical advertising, online promotional activities, pharmacy practices, and trade compliance across the healthcare and pharma sectors.
Source: shortlink.uk/1vJbD

4. India’s central food authority has notified the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Amendment Regulations, 2026, revising contaminant limits across pulses, edible oils, seafood, oilseeds, and nutmeg containing products. Updated standards cover heavy metals, aflatoxins, veterinary drug residues, and inorganic arsenic in fish oils, effective from 1 December 2026. Food businesses, seafood exporters, and nutraceutical companies must review and strengthen quality assurance systems, testing protocols, and sourcing controls to ensure compliance.
Source: FSSAI Gazette Notification, Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Amendment Regulations, 2026
Source: shortlink.uk/1vJbI

5. India’s Himachal Pradesh High Court has ruled that criminal liability cannot automatically be imposed on all directors or partners of a pharmaceutical company without specific averments establishing individual roles in business conduct. The judgment tightens procedural and evidentiary requirements for regulators prosecuting ‘Not of Standard Quality’ and spurious drug cases, potentially making enforcement actions under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act more legally complex for drug regulators and enforcement agencies.
Source: shortlink.uk/1vMU6