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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 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

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. Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has rejected a cosmetics import registration certificate and barred the importer from seeking fresh registrations for one year over alleged submission of fabricated documents under the Cosmetics Rules, 2020. The move underscores stricter regulatory scrutiny and tougher enforcement of compliance standards in India’s cosmetics import sector.
Source: shortlink.uk/1vfpf

2. India’s Punjab and Haryana High Court has upheld the conviction of a clinic owner under the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act 1994, observing that lapses in maintaining mandatory records, including Form ‘F’, cannot be treated as minor procedural defects. The Court emphasized that proper documentation is central to enforcement of the PCPNDT framework aimed at preventing female foeticide and preserving regulatory oversight of diagnostic practices. This is important as the ruling reinforces strict compliance expectations for clinics, diagnostic centres, and healthcare establishments operating under the PCPNDT regime. The judgment signals that deficiencies in statutory records may attract penal consequences even where procedural irregularities in inspection or search are alleged.
Source: shortlink.uk/1vfr5

3. Parliamentary Standing Committee has reportedly recommended expansion of Regional Raw Drug Repositories under the National Medicinal Plants Board, particularly in biodiversity-rich regions, to support documentation, authentication, conservation, and sustainable utilisation of medicinal plants used in Ayush systems. The recommendation reflects continued policy attention toward strengthening medicinal plant infrastructure and raw material quality within the herbal and phytopharmaceutical ecosystem.
Source: shortlink.uk/1pTkP

4. The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) of India has launched a probe into the online sale of an allegedly unregistered herbicide on major e-commerce platforms, citing concerns over regulatory non-compliance and inadequate product disclosures. The action underscores rising scrutiny of hazardous products sold online and may push platforms to strengthen seller verification and compliance mechanisms.
Source: shortlink.uk/1vfpx

5. The Bombay High Court held that although infringement relief was unavailable in the “OCTRIDE” and “OTIDE” dispute due to both marks being registered, passing off protection could still be granted under common law. The Court cited the marks phonetic similarity, the Plaintiff’s prior goodwill and market reputation, and the heightened risk of confusion in pharmaceutical products.
Source: shortlink.uk/1pTl0

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 Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) has released the draft National Formulary of India (NFI) 2026, inviting stakeholder comments within 45 days of upload of the respective chapters and appendices, ahead of its proposed finalisation. The draft aims to promote rational use of medicines through evidence based prescribing guidance, standardised drug information, and measures to reduce medication errors and antimicrobial resistance.
Source: shortlink.uk/1sKC9

2. The Delhi High Court has directed the discontinuation of the “Olymviq” mark for semaglutide injections on account of its similarity with the “Ozempic” brand. A 30-day transition window has been granted to clear existing stock and shift to the alternative mark “Olymra.” The order reflects heightened judicial scrutiny of pharmaceutical trademarks, particularly in cases involving likelihood of confusion, prompting companies to reassess trademark strategies.
Source: shortlink.uk/1sKCd

3. The Drugs Consultative Committee in its sixty eighth meeting approved recommendations on scheduling of certain medicines, retaining dicyclomine in Schedule H and moving flupentixol, zopiclone, gabapentin and carisoprodol to Schedule H1. This is important as stricter controls will curb misuse and intoxication, improve monitoring and dispensing accountability.
Source: https://shortlink.uk/1sKCi

4. The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) reportedly plans to tighten oversight of medicine packaging, emphasizing clear visibility of drug names, strength, and expiry dates. Through stricter inspections and regulatory directions, it aims to reduce medication errors and improve patient safety, prompting pharmaceutical companies to enhance labelling design, printing quality, and compliance standards.
Source: shortlink.uk/1nvq0

5. The Ministry of Environment has amended the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, removing the requirement to declare the percentage of recycled plastic on labels. Instead, packaging must comply with IS 14534:2023 and carry the prescribed marking, simplifying labelling obligations while ensuring adherence to recycling standards.
Source: shortlink.uk/1sKnX