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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. The National Health Authority is developing a national artificial intelligence policy for healthcare to guide wider use of technology to address health challenges including diagnostics, public health programmes, and digital health platforms. This will be a major shift toward structured, large-scale adoption of technology in India’s health system. It can improve access, efficiency, and data-driven decision-making across public healthcare delivery.
Source: shortlink.uk/1tzfD

2. India’s Central government has directed states to uniformise package rates for common medical procedures, adopt uniform treatment guidelines, and implement digital claims processing through the National Health Claims Exchange to improve billing transparency and reduce pricing variations across private hospitals. These disparities have been identified in driving higher insurance premiums and affecting affordability.
Source: shortlink.uk/1ohsz

3. The Bombay High Court delivered a judgment after scrutinising enforcement under the Drugs (Prices Control) Order (DPCO), holding that overcharging determinations and recovery demands must strictly adhere to statutory methodology, including correct price fixation, computation, and grant of hearing. Finding procedural infirmities and inadequate reasoning, the Court set aside the demand and directed fresh adjudication, reinforcing due process and curbing arbitrary.
Source: shortlink.uk/1tzfM

4. The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) has issued a regulatory communication outlining updated requirements related to drug approvals, compliance, and regulatory submissions for industry stakeholders. This is important as increased regulatory scrutiny may impact approval timelines and documentation standards. Companies may now need to review regulatory submissions, strengthen compliance processes, and align product lifecycle strategies with evolving CDSCO expectations.
Source: shortlink.uk/1tzfQ

5. The Drugs Technical Advisory Board has approved a proposal to amend the Medical Devices Rules, 2017 to introduce a definition of reportable events and mandate adverse event reporting, including for in-vitro diagnostic devices. This is important as it strengthens post-market surveillance and device safety oversight. Manufacturers and importers may now need enhanced reporting systems and tighter compliance processes.
Source: shortlink.uk/1ohsK

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. Indonesia’s health ministry has directed food companies to introduce coloured labels indicating nutritional content, within two years. Red and green labels will indicate high and low sugar, salt, and fat content respectively. Companies must revise packaging and validate nutritional content to meet the new labelling requirements, but detailed sanctions for non-compliance have not been informed yet.
Source: shortlink.uk/1nEyC

2. Gujarat Food and Drug Control Administration has reportedly directed all ayurvedic medicine manufacturers to register on the ayudmla.gujarat.gov.in portal and upload complete legacy records, mandating digital compliance for licensing processes across the state. It strengthens regulatory oversight and promotes digital compliance in the ayurvedic sector.
Source: shortlink.uk/1sU3e

3. The Bangalore District Chemists and Druggists Association and other retail pharmacy groups have urged regulators to mandate licensing requirements for e-pharmacies displaying medicines online, similar to physical stores under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. This is important as it highlights growing concerns around patient safety, regulatory gaps, and unfair competition. If implemented, e-pharmacy platforms may face stricter compliance, licensing requirements, and potential changes to their marketplace and digital medicine distribution models.
Source: shortlink.uk/1sU3h

4. A leading weight loss drug manufacturer has partnered with OpenAI to deploy artificial intelligence across drug discovery, manufacturing, and operations, while training its workforce globally. The initiative will help to enhance productivity, strengthen competitive positioning in the obesity therapeutics market, and improve overall efficiency without immediate workforce reductions.
Source: shortlink.uk/1nEyI

5. The Bangalore District Chemists and Druggists Association and other retail pharmacy groups have urged regulators to extend licensing norms for medicine display to e-pharmacies, seeking clarity on “offer for sale” under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. This is important to curb unlicensed digital sales and ensure parity, potentially bringing online platforms under stricter licensing and compliance requirements.
Source: shortlink.uk/1sU3l

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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. The Ministry of Commerce & Industry introduced the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025 in Lok Sabha to decriminalise 288 minor offences under 16 central laws, including the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. It proposes replacing imprisonment with monetary penalties and improvement notices to ease compliance, boost business confidence, and cut litigation. The Bill now awaits Parliamentary committee review.
Source 1: short-link.me/1bGZT
Source 2: short-link.me/1bGZX

2. India’s Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has introduced an automated alerts protocol for OCEMS (Online Continuous Emission/Effluent Monitoring Systems). Compliance issues now trigger tiered warnings: Yellow (Level I), Orange (Level II), and Red (Level III), requiring escalating actions from record-keeping to immediate shutdowns and detailed incident reporting.
Source: short-link.me/1bH01

3. The Health Ministry has reversed the requirement for doctors to register on the National Medical Register just months after making it mandatory. The change comes after fewer than 1 percent of doctors enrolled, facing a process tangled with Aadhaar mismatches and affidavit demands, leaving most applications unapproved.
Source: short-link.me/1bH03

4. Delhi’s Drug Control Administration issued a strict advisory to chemist associations, mandating the immediate cessation of over-the-counter sales of pregabalin and tapentadol due to rising misuse for intoxication and addiction. The directive demands accurate stock records under the Drugs Rules, 1945, and warns of strict penalties for non-compliance.
Source: short-link.me/17f6F

5. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has reportedly formed a committee to evaluate whether added sugar should be permitted in infant food. This follows criticism for major manufacturer of infant food for adding sugar in infant food sold in India. Current food regulations allow limited sucrose/fructose only if essential, capped at 20% of total carbohydrates.
Source: short-link.me/17f6L

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 Kerala High Court has emphasized the need for caution among investigating officers when implicating doctors under the POCSO Act for failing to report offenses. The court highlighted that such actions should not be taken lightly, especially in cases where there is no clear evidence of deliberate intent or negligence. This ruling aims to protect medical professionals from unwarranted legal repercussions that could arise from misunderstandings or misinterpretations of their responsibilities.
Source: bit.ly/4jxbEiQ

2. The Allahabad High Court has criticized government doctors for referring patients to private hospitals for financial gain, labelling the practice as a “menace.” The court directed the Uttar Pradesh government to formulate a policy to prevent doctors in state medical services from engaging in private practice, emphasizing the need for them to prioritize patient care in public hospitals. This ruling aims to ensure that government healthcare professionals fulfil their responsibilities without the influence of monetary incentives.
Source: bit.ly/3Cy62Eg

3. A leading Indian food company has recalled four tonnes of red chilli powder after the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) ordered the action due to excessive pesticide residue levels in product samples. The company is advising customers to return the affected 200-gram packets for a full refund and is implementing stricter quality control measures with its suppliers to prevent future issues.
Source: bit.ly/3PTGhBw

4. A parliamentary panel has urged the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) to establish Price Monitoring and Resource Units (PMRUs) in all remaining states and union territories i.e. Andaman and Nicobar Island, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Sikkim and Manipur. The initiative aims to enhance drug price monitoring and ensure the availability of essential medicines across India. Currently, PMRUs are operational in only a few regions, and expanding their reach is seen as crucial for better consumer awareness and accessibility.
Source: bit.ly/3CeopOJ

5. India’s Union Health Ministry has requested a legal opinion regarding the extension of the compliance deadline for revised Schedule M standards for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the pharmaceutical sector. The proposed final draft could grant these companies an additional 12 months to meet the new requirements, which were initially set to take effect on January 1, 2025. This extension responds to requests from MSMEs for more time to upgrade their facilities and processes.
Source: bit.ly/3EdyI62

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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. The Supreme Court of India has warned States and Union Territories of initiating contempt proceedings for failing to take action against misleading advertisements. It emphasized that authorities must ensure strict enforcement of laws to prevent such advertisements. The Court’s remarks come in light of a petition filed by the Indian Medical Association against a leading Ayurveda product manufacturing company on grounds of misleading claims and advertisements.
Source: bit.ly/3C3w9D4

2. India’s Bombay High Court, in a recent ruling, emphasized that authorities must uphold basic human rights, particularly in medical negligence cases. It stated that failure to provide adequate healthcare can violate a patient’s right to life and dignity. The court called for greater accountability and stricter enforcement of healthcare standards.
Source: bit.ly/3DVQlqO

3. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued an order on 3rd January, 2025, to promote ease of doing business. It has decided that any changes or amendments to the Food Safety Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations 2020 will be enforced starting from 1st July each year. The enforcement date will always be 1st July, with a minimum of 180 days between the notification of amendments and their enforcement. This policy applies to both labelling regulation changes and other food safety standards related to labelling. This move is aimed at enhancing regulatory predictability for food business operators while also improving consumer knowledge and transparency.
Source: bit.ly/4h001PO

4. The Indian Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has directed the Indian Health Ministry to take appropriate steps to label oxygen cylinders clearly, distinguishing between industrial oxygen and medical oxygen. This action follows lawmaker Ajeet Madhavrao Gopchade’s appeal, emphasizing the importance of such measures for patient safety.
Source: bit.ly/4ais9eB

5. The U.S Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) has banned the use of Red No. 3 dye in food items and oral drugs due to potential links to cancer. The decision follows concerns raised by studies suggesting that the high exposure of dye could be carcinogenic.
Source: bit.ly/42f7YvR

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 Public Interest Litigation before the Bombay High Court is being opposed by the Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons of India, arguing on the basis of a notification of the Dental Council of India dated 6th December 2021, that specialized Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons registered with State Dental Councils should be permitted to carry on hair transplant surgeries.
Source: bit.ly/49yFtLx

2. The Central AYUSH Minister (Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy) has stated in response to query in the Indian Parliament, that the ministry has followed a policy of co-location of AYUSH facilities at primary healthcare centres to encourage patients to make choice of treatment.
Source: bit.ly/41ssp8c

3. A lawsuit has been filed in the United States against the manufacturers of consumer food products, alleging that the products manufactured by the companies are “ultra-processed” and prone to causing chronic diseases among consumers.
Source: bit.ly/4goMQXO

4. The Union Health Ministry of India has reportedly urged states to classify snakebites as a notifiable disease, meaning it must be reported to the government by hospitals. This follows the launch of the National Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Snakebite Envenoming (NAPSE), which aims to reduce snakebite deaths by 50% by 2030. One of NAPSE’s recommendations is that snakebites be made a notifiable disease to better track and address the issue.
Source: bit.ly/4gxDPvG

5. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has stated that data on disciplinary actions against Registered Medical Practitioners (RMPs) over the past five years is not centrally maintained. It has advised states to promote the prescription of generic drugs and conduct prescription audits in public health facilities. The Indian Medical Council’s 2002 regulations mandate that physicians prescribe drugs by their generic names, legibly and preferably in capital letters, ensuring rational and appropriate use.
Source: bit.ly/3ZRLujb

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TOP 5 HEALTH LAWS AND POLICY UPDATES

Dear Reader, 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 Health Ministry of India has been allocated a budget of Rs 90,958.63 crore for the financial year 2024-2025 in the Parliament’s interim Union Budget 2024 session. This budget is 12.96% higher than the budget that was allocated for the financial year 2023-24.
Source: bit.ly/3YnHCWu

2. The Union Health Ministry of India has announced a revision in the basic customs duties (BCD) with an aim to align with domestic capacity expansion for medical equipment such as X-ray tubes, flat panel detectors, including scintillators that will be used in the manufacture of medical X-ray machines for medical, surgical, dental, or veterinary use. The custom duty will be reduced from 15% to 5% until 31st May 2025.
Source: bit.ly/4fgx6GI

3. India’s Environment Ministry has issued a draft guidelines relating to the Uniform Consent Fee and the Grant, Refusal, or Cancellation of Consent to Establish & Consent to Operate. These guidelines aim to streamline the consent mechanism under the provisions of the Water Act and Air Act, enhance ease of doing business, minimize the compliance burden on industries, and reduce duplication of work concerning the issuance of consents.
Source: bit.ly/4cQs6af

4. India’s Environment Ministry has notified an Public Liability Insurance (Amendment) Rules, 2024. This amendment aims to increase scope of public liability insurance to environmental damage that may be caused by industrial accidents.
Source: bit.ly/3YihHjg

5. The India’s Central Drug Regulator (CDSCO) is reportedly planning to exempt the need for testing Cough Syrups intended for export to the US, UK, Canada, the European Union, Japan, Australia, Singapore, Korea, and Switzerland at prescribed laboratories.
Source: bit.ly/4df0ZFz