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 Health Ministry has prohibited the manufacture, sale and distribution of all immediate-release oral formulations containing Nimesulide above 100 mg, citing potential risks to human safety and availability of safer alternatives. The ban, issued under Section 26A of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, takes immediate effect across India.
Source: h7.cl/1h4DA

2. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued draft rules to amend the Drugs Rules, 1945, proposing deletion of “Syrup” from Schedule K, following approval by the Drugs Consultative Committee. Once implemented, syrups would lose regulatory exemptions. Stakeholders are invited to submit objections within 30 days of the notification.
Source: h7.cl/1h4DF

3. India’s drug regulator reportedly cancelled the import licence of a hair loss product after it was promoted as a treatment for post chemotherapy hair loss and other medical conditions. Since the product was approved only as a cosmetic, such therapeutic claims were found misleading and in violation of cosmetic regulations.
Source: h7.cl/1h4DM

4. Leading oral nicotine pouch makers are seeking CDSCO approval to market high dose products as therapeutic nicotine replacement, raising concerns among regulators and health experts about addiction, youth initiation and long-term cardiovascular risks. The move could trigger stricter regulatory scrutiny in India’s pharma and public health landscape.
Source: h7.cl/1h4DN

5. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued recommendations to regulate the sale of foreign SIM/eSIM cards used in M2M/IoT devices meant for export, proposing a light-touch “International M2M SIM Service Authorisation” with online approval, no entry fees, and 10-year validity to boost exports, support Make in India
Source: h7.cl/1m0FU

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 Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has extended the timelines for the filing of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) annul returns by producers of Battery waste and E-waste for the Financial Year (FY) 2023-2024 till 31st March 2025 and 31st January 2025 respectively. For E-waste the extension of timelines also applies to the filing of quarterly returns for the abovementioned FY.
Source: bit.ly/3WthHei
Source: bit.ly/4gcsPmW

2. India’s National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has issued an office memorandum (OM) requesting manufacturers and marketing companies of the scheduled formulations nicotine used for nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) to furnish the Price to Retailer (PTR) and Moving Annual Turnover (MAT) data, in value terms for October 2023, within 7 days from the issue of the OM. A format for submitting these details is also provided in the OM. This information is being sought to fix the ceiling prices of these formulations.
Source: bit.ly/4gnoEFb

3. India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) has released a guidance document to support the development of rapid diagnostics for pathogen identification and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (AST). The document offers guidance to innovators and developers on evaluating their tests and demonstrating their effectiveness.
Source: bit.ly/4heX8ue

4. The Kerala High Court (KHC) recently ruled that magic mushrooms are not classified as narcotic substances under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. After reviewing the legal status of psychedelic fungi, the honourable court concluded that since magic mushrooms are not specifically scheduled under Act, they are not subject to its restrictions.
Source: bit.ly/3CiZv0k

5. India’s Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has released draft guidelines for the Pharmaceutical Industry in India, which are currently classified as highly polluting. The guidelines outline criteria for the establishment of pharmaceutical units, including mandatory minimum distances from sensitive areas. Stakeholders and the public are invited to submit their comments and suggestions on the draft guidelines by February 5, 2025.
Source: bit.ly/4h1GC0Y