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 Supreme Court has ruled that a medical practitioner can only be held accountable for medical negligence if he lacks the necessary training or expertise or if he fails to use his reasonable skill in providing treatment, not because his treatment was unsuccessful.
Source: bit.ly/4e2eEzN

2. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Pune division has seized stock worth ₹1 crore due to misleading claims in two separate incidents. This includes ₹78 lakh worth of toothpaste with anti-inflammatory claims and ₹22 lakh worth of cosmetics with suspicious labels. In both cases, the FDA has alleged a violation of the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954, and the samples have been sent for laboratory analysis.
Source: bit.ly/40hcyJa

3. India’s central drug regulator (CDSCO) has identified a list of 18 drugs declared as Not of Standard Quality (NSQ). The action has come after several states and union territories failed to report NSQ data, prompting the CDSCO to emphasize the need for timely submissions to enhance drug safety oversight.
Source: bit.ly/48njBSE

4. India’s central drug regulator (CDSCO) has identified four drug samples as spurious after drug inspectors in several states inspected them in September. Since the seized batch was not manufactured by the relevant pharmaceutical businesses, the manufacturer reported it as counterfeit. Drug samples are collected from sales and distribution locations as part of ongoing regulatory monitoring, and examined, and a list of spurious drugs is posted on the CDSCO portal once a month.
Source: bit.ly/3YqYqdE

5. To enhance guidelines and standards for the use of disinfectants and antiseptics in healthcare settings, the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) has released a draft of the new general chapter on disinfectants and antiseptics (Version 3.0) for public comments. The last date to submit comments is 8th December 2024.
Source: bit.ly/3YmXtmL

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 Union AYUSH Ministry has prohibited to advertise Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, and Homeopathy drugs with claims of “miraculous or supernatural effects” in order to prevent misleading advertisements with unverified claims. The ministry instructed that such drugs should contain a caution to be taken under medical supervision on its label. Additionally, the ministry issued a public notice clarifying that it does not certify, grants license or approves any company for making ayurvedic drugs.
Source: bit.ly/4eXXjsL
2. India’s central drug regulator (CDSCO) is actively investigating social media influencers who promote false claims, quick fixes and misleading medical content.
Source: bit.ly/4eGfqDC 

3. The Pune division of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has taken action against three drug firms for violating the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954. The firms were found selling Ayurvedic medicines with misleading claims to cure diabetes, arthritis, and kidney ailments, leading to the seizure of products.
Source: bit.ly/3XUC5Fe

4. The Delhi High Court ruled that a mere fraction of a cause of action occurring in a jurisdiction is insufficient to invoke the court’s territorial jurisdiction. The decision of the court said that in order to raise the territorial jurisdiction of a specific court, there must be a significant link of the matter to the specified territory, reinforcing the standards for filing cases in the court.
Source: bit.ly/3ZXxPr1

5. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in UK has unveiled its 2024/25 business plan, which prioritizes enhancing access to innovative healthcare technologies while optimizing service delivery. Key initiatives of the plan include the implementation of new IT systems and a commitment to public engagement and diversity in regulatory processes, aimed at reinforcing the UK’s position in life sciences and improving pandemic preparedness.
Source: bit.ly/3BES5Ux

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) and the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) have released Version 2.0 of the “Pharmacovigilance Guidance Document for Marketing Authorization Holders (MAHs) of Pharmaceutical Products”. This document facilitates the submission of the safety profiles of drugs by MAHs (manufacturer, marketer, or importer of a drug) and outlines the timeline for the process.
Source: bit.ly/4dctGCs

2. India’s Central Drug Regulator (CDSCO) is reportedly considering a proposal to change the color of all antimicrobial drug strips to blue for safer usage and to visually differentiate these drugs to curb antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This proposal would apply to pharmaceutical drugs and medicines, including antibiotics, antivirals, anti-parasitics, and antifungal drugs.
Source: bit.ly/47BUL0P

3. India’s Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD) has asked the leading edible oil associations in India to maintain the maximum retail price (MRP) of edible oil until the stocks of the edible oil that are imported at 0% and 12.5% basic customs duty (BCD) are exhausted. The Government of India has increased the BCD on various edible oils, which is effective from 14th September 2024, to support domestic oilseed prices.
Source: bit.ly/4e9Gwmj

4. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has released the second edition of ISO 23500-1:2024, outlining requirements for the preparation and quality management of fluids used in hemodialysis and related therapies. This standard guides practitioners on handling dialysis and substitution fluids for advanced treatments like hemodiafiltration and hemofiltration.
Source: bit.ly/3Bjlzqt
Source: bit.ly/4gskk8H

5. India’s Maharashtra Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has taken action against an Ayurvedic drug manufacturing company by seizing its products and prohibiting the further distribution of its Ayurvedic drugs due to improper labeling. The company has made false and misleading claims about the drugs and its treatment in its advertisements, which are prohibited under the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisement) Act, 1954, and Rules, 1955.
Source: bit.ly/3ZucKUU

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 Consultative Committee (DCC) has reportedly recommended to make Sugam portal database of all the products with brand names accessible to the general public to address the issue of different drug formulations of different therapeutic categories being sold with same or similar brand names in the nation.
Source: bit.ly/3XMWBbV2. The National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH) has revised the accreditation standards for hospitals which will come into effect on January 1, 2025. No surveillance assessment will be conducted as per the old accreditation standard by NABH after 31st March 2025.
Source: bit.ly/47ydjPr

3. India’s Central Food Regulator will approve import of food consignments from Bhutan on the strength of Health Certificate issued by Bhutan Food and Drug Authority provided they are manufactured by the approved list of establishments of Bhutan.
Source: bit.ly/4gmtRxY

4. U.S. Food and Drug Administration has warned a major pharmaceutical company for making false and misleading claims about the benefits of a migraine pill in a television advertisement by a famous sports person. The claims were made against the results that were demonstrated in clinical trials.
Source: bit.ly/4gtau6m

5. A group of experts constituted by NITI Aayog to prepare a framework for action for emergency response and preparedness to address future pandemic, has recommended making the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) an independent regulatory authority. They have recommended to provide CDSCO with approved Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Accelerated Emergency Use Authorisation for innovations and provisions for fast-tracking the process during pandemics.
Source: bit.ly/3XNynys

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.

India announces completion of Genome Sequencing Project
The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) has announced the completion of the Genome India Project, the largest project to sequence 10,000 genomes of the Indian population. The initiative was launched in 2020. Owing to the project, the DBT has now created a reference genetic database as well as a biobank of Indian blood samples for future research.
Source: bit.ly/48C0G55

Draft guidance on post approval changes of biologics published by India’s drug regulator
India’s central drug regulator (CDSCO) has published draft guidance on ‘Post Approval Changes in Biological Products: Quality Safety and Efficacy Documents’ for comments. The draft guidance categorizes post approval changes relating to safety and efficacy depending on their seriousness and reporting requirements.
Source: bit.ly/48Bhnxi

Hospitals in India report increase in the average revenue per occupied bed (ARPOB)
As per reports, the average revenue per occupied bed (ARPOB) in major hospitals in India has increased in the last nine month and is set to increase 8-10% in next financial year. The ARPOB was estimated to be Rs. 45,800 per day in FY23. The factors driving growth are focus on specialized procedures and fast (morning/evening) discharges.
Source: bit.ly/3P0YxZy

USFDA to increase annual inspection of pharmaceutical facilities in India
The US Drug Administration (USFDA) is reportedly set to increase the number of inspections at Indian drug manufacturing units in 2024 due to increasing concerns about the quality of pharmaceuticals manufactured in those facilities.
Source: bit.ly/3UVrM3O

World’s biggest beef producer sued for greenwashing
The New York Attorney General has filed a lawsuit against the world’s largest beef producer on the ground that it has no viable plan to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, as claimed by it. The Attorney General has accused the beef manufacturer of misleading the public about its environmental impact to increase sales.
Source: bit.ly/3P3Ak4V