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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 CDSCO has upgraded its online system to automatically generate the Market Standing Certificate (MSC), Non-Conviction Certificate (NCC) and Neutral Code for medical devices. Consequently, manufacturers and importers must reapply for these certificates, as all previously issued ones will become non-functional from April 9, 2025.
Source: bit.ly/4j7NJWL
Source: bit.ly/4j7NMBV 

2. India’s Supreme Court has introduced new guidelines for interpreting deeds and contracts. The guidelines emphasize using the literal rule, where words are given their plain meaning unless absurdity arises. If necessary, the golden rule may be applied and a shift to purposive interpretation based on the document’s context and objectives, ensuring clarity in legal agreements.
Source: bit.ly/3Rc0TWh

3. The Bombay High Court issued an ex-parte ad-interim order against unidentified individuals selling counterfeit and illegally imported oral care products, restraining them from manufacturing, packaging, or distributing lookalike goods infringing trademark and copyright. A Court Receiver was appointed to oversee the identification and inventory of the infringing goods.
Source: bit.ly/3G5i9u0

4. The Supreme Court of India will hear petitions challenging the ₹50 lakh cap on government aid for rare disease treatments, including Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), following a High Court order. The SMA drug is cheaper in China and Pakistan due to negotiations with the manufacturer. The SC suggested the Centre explore similar negotiations and consider flexibility in approving aid beyond the ₹50 lakh cap on a case-by-case basis.
Source: bit.ly/4lqJ2ss

5. The Government of Kerala has reportedly introduced digital payment systems in government hospitals to streamline service fee transactions, allowing patients to pay using UPI, debit, or credit cards. In addition, they have also introduced an online outpatient (OP) ticket, M-health app, and scan and book system.
Source: bit.ly/4crteSd

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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. Indian Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has introduced the Environment (Construction and Demolition) Waste Management Rules, 2025, effective from April 1, 2026. These Rules apply to construction, demolition, remodeling, renovation, and repair activities, with key provisions on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and waste management plans.
Source: bit.ly/42AOQIu

2. India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) has issued a Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to streamline the transfer of drugs manufactured in Special Economic Zones (SEZs) to domestic markets (Domestic Tariff Area) for sale and distribution. SEZ units are exempted from mandatory import and registration requirements, provided these drugs are not diverted for domestic sale and are used exclusively for export purposes.
Source: bit.ly/44ftUYL

3. Pune Municipal Corporation has issued notices to private hospitals instructing to not demand any advance deposit from patients seeking emergency medical care and to strictly follow the Bombay Nursing Home Registration Act, 1949, which forbids demanding any advance deposit from “emergency” patients.
Source: bit.ly/4j52xp2

4. A content creator agreed to remove part of a podcast after a company objected to a guest’s remarks about an antiseptic product. The guest’s claims were considered disparaging. The court-approved settlement also required related social media posts to be deleted to protect the product’s reputation.
Source: bit.ly/42sBOeV

5. A global agricultural company is helping Indian rice farmers adopt eco-friendly farming methods. These practices reduce harmful greenhouse gases. In return, the company will issue its first carbon credits, certified by Gold Standard, which environmentally conscious companies can purchase to offset their emissions.
Source: bit.ly/4iavSgm

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 RBI’s revised draft for the Foreign Exchange Management (Export and Import of Goods and Services) Regulations, 2025, mandates repatriation of unutilized advances if imports aren’t completed within the contract period. If outstanding advances exceed Rs 25 crore, future imports must be secured with an irrevocable standby letter of credit or an international bank guarantee.
Source: bit.ly/4jrYGCl

2. Major global pharma companies are reportedly setting up Global Capability Centres (GCCs) in India, driven by the country’s tech talent amid the global economic slowdown. Experts predict that India’s GCC sector will surpass $100 billion by 2030, with significant growth in the Life Sciences and Healthcare sector.
Source: bit.ly/4j1ZZYO

3. The Gujarat Food and Drug Administration has reportedly assured the Indian medical device manufacturers that the differential pricing order for cardiac stents, implemented under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, will be repealed. Under this scheme, stents approved by the US FDA are priced at Rs 25,000, while those approved by the Indian regulator are priced at Rs 12,000.
Source: bit.ly/42lIV8K

4. India’s Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) has mandated that all poultry farms across the country must register with their respective state animal husbandry departments within a month. This initiative is part of the Centre’s strategy to enforce strict biosecurity measures in response to the ongoing H5N1 avian influenza outbreak affecting multiple states.
Source: bit.ly/4251YFL

5. The Supreme Court of India reportedly rejected a plea to ban children under 13 from social media which was filed over concerns about mental health and addiction. It stated the issue is a policy matter for the government, not the judiciary, and advised approaching relevant authorities or Parliament.
Source: bit.ly/4cqw7Tx

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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 Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has revised its inspection checklist for food businesses operators in General manufacturing, Milk & milk products, Meat processing, Fish products processing, and Catering, and has reclassified food-grade packaging materials from ‘Non-Critical’ to ‘Critical.’ It has also mandated that food-grade packaging materials used in these food businesses must have a Certificate of Conformity issued by an NABL-accredited laboratory.
Source: bit.ly/4jmTFei

2. The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) has clarified that the brand name of the medical device must be included in the Free Sale Certificate (FSC) issued to the legal manufacturer when filing an import licence application form. If not specified in the FSC, “Not Applicable” should be mentioned.
Source: bit.ly/3YhBEWi

3. The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) has clarified the packaging and labelling requirements of non-sterile medical devices intended to be sterilized before use. The finished product package must include Instructions For Use (IFU) which specify the method of sterilization to be used for the device prior to its end-use.
Source: bit.ly/3YhBEWi

4. The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) has clarified that domestic manufacturers of medical devices need not obtain ISO 13485:2016 certificate to obtain a manufacturing license under the Medical Devices Rules, 2017.
Source: bit.ly/3YhBEWi

5. The state government of Kerala has started taking action against online purchase of unauthorised medicines, including anabolic steroids. Kerala state drug control department is inspecting gyms across the state to identify unauthorised medicines and their misuse.
Source: bit.ly/41XmHLv

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 Government amended the definitions of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) on March 21, raising investment and turnover limits.  This reclassification will move many medium-sized businesses to the small enterprise category, enabling access to benefits like public procurement, the GeM platform, and dispute resolution services.
Source: bit.ly/4iQlc7N

2. The Rajasthan High Court quashed a drug complaint, ruling that failing a dissolution test is a minor defect and not the ground for prosecution if the active pharmaceutical ingredient is within standard limits. The court held that slower dissolution doesn’t affect efficacy or make the drug spurious by itself.
Source: bit.ly/43DZJKO

3. The United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) has rejected in vitro studies conducted by an India-based contract research organization due to significant data integrity issues. Certain generics relying on bioequivalence data from the affected studies are marked with a “BX,” indicating insufficient evidence for therapeutic equivalence, thereby impacting their market status and sale.
Source: bit.ly/3FPn9mB

4. The Association of Indian Medical Device Industry (AiMED) has reportedly criticized Gujarat Government’s new pricing for drug-eluting stents, which sets USFDA-approved stents at double the price of domestic-approved ones. The association urged the state to reverse the decision, noting that such price disparities are not observed globally.
Source: bit.ly/4hXrfWM

5. According to a fact sheet issued by the White House after the US President’s announcement, pharmaceutical products are not yet subject to reciprocal taxes, providing relief to Indian pharmaceutical companies that earn significant revenues from exports to the United States.
Source: bit.ly/3YdSJAy

 

 

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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. CDSCO has proposed a draft list to revise the existing classification list of cardiovascular and neurological devices, categorizing 351 cardiovascular and 202 neurological devices under a risk-based classification. Stakeholders can review and submit feedback within 30 days via a Google Form before finalization.
Source: bit.ly/3QYf29q

2. The central government has no plans to set up a special tribunal for medical negligence cases. Instead, such cases are handled by State Medical Councils, which can take disciplinary action against doctors. Appeals can be made to the National Medical Commission (NMC).
Source: bit.ly/42jt9LX

3. The 2025 National Trade Estimate Report states that unclear licensing guidelines and import procedures under India’s Medical Device Rules have delayed U.S. exports of refurbished medical devices. Since April 2024, CDSCO has suspended approvals for existing and new import licenses, effectively blocking refurbished medical device imports.
Source: bit.ly/4lfgp1s
Source: bit.ly/41W3pWY

4. The Central Consumer Protection Authority fined three lotion companies for falsely claiming in e-commerce ads that their products whiten skin instantly. The Bureau of Indian Standards found no scientific proof. The companies removed their ads and were warned of a ₹50 lakh fine for repeat violations.
Source: bit.ly/3G2pB94

5. India’s Delhi High Court upheld Consumer Protection Authority guidelines barring automatic service charges addition in restaurant bills. It was further held that collecting such service charge under other names constitutes an unfair trade practice. Additionally, GST cannot be charged on service charges.
Source: bit.ly/4j88ukG

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. Supreme Court Calls Unethical Clinical Trials a Critical and Serious Issue, Orders Detailed Report from Government. The Supreme Court of India recently heard a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by a public health rights NGO, highlighting unethical clinical trials causing serious adverse effects and deaths of the participants. The Court directed the Central Government to submit a detailed report within four weeks addressing concerns such as transparency, accountability, provisions for criminal actions against sponsors/investigators and other points raised by the petitioners.
Source:  bit.ly/4bW7QEB

2. Group of therapists have approached the Bombay High Court, alleging police harassment under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, violating their trade and dignity rights. The Maharashtra government informed the Court about a 12-member committee drafting guidelines for regulating spa and massage centers. The guidelines will cover important aspects such as licensing procedures, operational standards, and the regulation of cross-gender massages.
Source: bit.ly/4c4hG7s

3. India’s Health Department of Karnataka has clarified that Essential Narcotic Drugs (END) in the state will now be regulated under the Central Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Rules, replacing the previous state regulations. As a result, hospitals and medical institutions recognized as RMIs by the state drug regulator no longer need state-level permission to stock these drugs. However, other narcotic drugs in Karnataka will continue to be regulated according to state NDPS Rules.
Source: bit.ly/4l1XDdY

4. The list of drugs taking a shift from prescription-only to over-the-counter (OTC) is reportedly to be released soon. A sub-committee is drafting guidelines, which may categorize OTC drugs for sale in pharmacies or in general stores, similar to practices in Western countries.
Source: bit.ly/4hJjCDB

5. MedTech Europe has released a report outlining the administrative burdens caused by the non-harmonized authorization process for IVD performance studies & the increased post-market and clinical reporting requirements for medical devices under the new medtech regulations. The report also proposes several solutions, including streamlining approvals for multinational studies, digitalizing processes, and allowing manufacturers to consolidate key reports.
Source: bit.ly/42jN4dJ

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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. A medical device company has received compensation calculated at 25% of sales generated by a counterfeiting entity. The Court opined that 25% was a conservative profit margin for awarding damages. The Court has additionally awarded exemplary damages to punish the counterfeiting entity.
Source: bit.ly/4kHWYhn

2. The Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA) has reportedly questioned the authenticity of an US study linking India-made generic medicines to higher rates of serious adverse events (SAEs) calling the claims unfounded. IPA highlighted that Indian manufacturing facilities undergo stringent inspections by regulators like the FDA, and lower costs are due to production efficiencies, not compromised quality.
Source: bit.ly/4kEqkx8

3. The Indian government is reportedly considering exemption of health and life insurance premiums from the current 18% GST. The GST Council has sought input from the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI), with the industry advocating for a reduction to 12% instead of a complete exemption or lower rate (5%), to be able to claim Input Tax Credit (ITC) on taxes paid for business operations.
Source: bit.ly/3Fu3dFx

4. India’s Health Ministry has reportedly directed the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) to focusing on eliminating poor-quality medicines, supporting small pharma manufacturers (MSMEs), and refining medical device regulations. The move is aimed at enhancing global trust in Indian medical products and exports.
Source: bit.ly/3DHeK3J

5. The Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has invited comments on proposed changes to export policy for Special Chemicals, Organisms, Materials, Equipment and Technologies (SCOMET), which seek to fast-track grant of approval. SCOMET goods typically face strict export controls.
Source: bit.ly/3Fr2Uva

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. Indian courts have recognized copyright protection granting a temporary injunction against Indian pharmaceutical companies for unauthorized use of drug dossier. This occurred in a lawsuit where a pharmaceutical company accused a Canadian company of breaching a licensing agreement, misappropriating trade secrets, and sharing drug dossiers with Indian companies.
Source: bit.ly/3XvnzV7

2. The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has made registration for Clinical Research Organisations (CROs) mandatory, effective April 1, 2025. CROs can now register online through the SUGAM portal by submitting their applications along with the required documents.
Source: bit.ly/3F6DKBX

3. Punjab’s Food and Drugs Administration has implemented stringent reporting obligations on manufacturers, C&FAs, wholesalers, and retailers, requiring them to submit monthly sales and distribution reports on every 7th day of the month to the state’s drug control offices to monitor the movement of seven Schedule H and H1 drugs or formulations prone to misuse for intoxication.
Source: bit.ly/3QKofC5

4. India’s Supreme Court has urged state authorities to frame guidelines to prevent exploitation by private hospitals, ensuring patients are not compelled to purchase overpriced medicines and medical devices. The Court also recognized that private hospitals are essential to addressing healthcare gaps until infrastructure is improved.
Source: bit.ly/3QLU8tY

5. The Delhi government’s social welfare department has urged the health department to fast-track the establishment of dedicated wards for transgenders in all government hospitals and designate a hospital for sex reassignment surgeries, aiming to ensure rights, dignity, and healthcare access.
Source: bit.ly/4i4dkiN

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. India’s Central Drugs Regulator (CDSCO) has clarified that modified or sustained-release form of a drug including gastro-resistant tablets/capsules, delayed-release tablets/capsules, or novel drug delivery systems will be regulated as ‘new drug’. New drugs must undergo clinical trials for obtaining manufacturing license
Source: bit.ly/41znUZe

2. India’s Central Licensing Authority (CLA) has directed manufacturers of unapproved fixed dose combination drugs to apply for permission to conduct Phase IV study / active post marketing surveillance within three months
Failure may result in cancellation of manufacturing license.
Source: bit.ly/3Xmpjjr

3. India’s Central Food Regulator (FSSAI) has reminded all food businesses that any post approval change in license information such as name of nominee, product category, expansion has to be communicated before such change takes place. Failure may result in cancellation of license.
Source: bit.ly/41AjyRq

4. India’s product standard setting body (BIS) has amended the Baby Diapers Standard 17509:2021. The amendment clarifies that actual dimensions of the diapers can vary based on the manufacturer’s design choices, with the diaper’s design being subject to the agreement between the buyer and seller.
Source: bit.ly/41znT7C

5. Clinical trial sponsors can add clinical trial sites and change the principal investigator (PI) by applying on SUGAM Portal.
The application for change of PI is deemed approved on application, and for addition of site within 30 days of application.
Source: bit.ly/41wrvHo