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 Maharashtra government plans to amend the Mumbai Nursing Home Registration Rules, 1949, following concerns from the Indian Medical Association (IMA) over the 2021 amendment, which mandated staffing and infrastructure requirements for small hospitals. The new amendments aim to align regulations with industry recommendations to improve infrastructural and staffing feasibility for healthcare providers.
Source: bit.ly/3CFx3G1

2. The European Medicines Agency has set 23rd July 2025 as the date for implementation of updated International Council for Harmonisation (ICH) guidelines on Good Clinical Practises. This latest version of the guidelines encourages the sponsors to design trials that are fit for purpose and sufficient to provide confidence in the trial’s results.
Source: bit.ly/3CG9rky

3. In the 1st half of Financial Year 2025, the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority’s (NPPA) overcharging demands from pharma companies dropped sharply, while the number of cases surged by over 50% compared to last year. This reflects a rise in enforcement actions but a decline in penalty amounts imposed.
Source: bit.ly/4jGCGnY

4. The amended version of European Union’s (EU) Medical Devices Regulations, 2017 introduced Section 10a to enhance transparency and availability of medical devices. It mandates early notification of supply disruptions, extends IVD transition periods, enables a gradual roll-out of Eudamed, and imposes new responsibilities on economic operators.
Source: bit.ly/414XApt

5. A Parliamentary Panel has urged the Ministry of Ayush to strengthen regulations for adverse effects reporting and ensure regular post-marketing surveillance of Ayush medicines. It has requested a detailed status report on actions taken to enhance the regulatory framework for reporting adverse effects and ensuring drug safety and efficacy.
Source: bit.ly/4gzfzZP

TOP 5 HEALTH LAWS AND POLICY UPDATES

The new criminal code, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) has replaced the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and introduced stricter penalties for medical negligence. Registered Medical Practitioners can now face up to two years in jail and fines for medical negligence. The new law will apply from July 1, 2024.
Source: bit.ly/3RXnx5t

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has extended the last date of filing of annual returns by the registered producers, importers, brand owners (PIBOs) and plastic waste processors for FY 2022-24 and FY 2023-24 respectively till September 2024. The earlier timeline to file the annual returns were June 30, 2024 and April 30, 2024 respectively.
Source: bit.ly/3XQtxAY

In an effort to decrease reliance on imports and to promote domestic production of medical devices, the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) reportedly intends to launch a new program that will provide shared facilities for medical device parks or clusters that are formed with the exclusive financial assistance of the state governments.
Source: bit.ly/3xU6b2u

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is investigating an alleged nationwide network of contraband dealers and has placed several pharmaceutical companies under scrutiny who are engaged in the production of drugs and opioids as a measure to prevent the creation of illicit distribution networks through fraudulent sale and supply bills.
Source: bit.ly/3VNzoEw

The United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) has published a draft guidance that removes the requirement of undertaking switching studies for applicants undertaking an approval for treating Biosimilars as interchangeable. The USFDA has now made switching studies optional for biosimilar approvals. Hence, persons applying for approval for Biosimilars may now use computer modelling based on the current acceptable analytical technologies to demonstrate the Biosimilars as interchangeable.
Source: bit.ly/4eQUudy