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 The Indian Supreme Court has ruled that individuals convicted of food adulteration offences under the now-repealed Prevention of Food Adulteration Act cannot be granted probation. The Court clarified that the law in force at the time mandated strict punishment for such offences, and the bar on probation remains valid under the current Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
Source: bit.ly/3SD2x3R

2. India’s Chhattisgarh High Court has invalidated tender clauses by the Chhattisgarh Medical Services Corporation Limited that permanently barred previously blacklisted companies from bidding, even after their blacklisting period had ended. The Court emphasized that such conditions are arbitrary and violate principles of fairness in public procurement.
Source: bit.ly/45aP0Ik

3. India’s Jharkhand High Court ruled that selling goods at concessional rates alone does not amount to a sham transaction. The Court quashed notices issued for alleged discrepancies, stating that comparing sale prices to market rates is not sufficient grounds to question the authenticity of the transactions.
Source: bit.ly/4kfrgqE

4. The Indian government has invited fresh applications under the Performance-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme to boost domestic production of bulk drugs. The focus is on 11 key product categories, including Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), Key Starting Materials (KSMs), and intermediates. The initiative aims to reduce reliance on imports, particularly from China.
Source: bit.ly/42Zm6ti

5. A leading beverage company will revise its recycling labels following a greenwashing complaint by the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC). The updated labels will clarify that only the bottle body contains 100% recycled plastic, exclude caps and labels, and remove green imagery and the phrase “Recycle Me Again” to avoid misleading consumer.
Source: bit.ly/4khtF4V

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 volume-based discounts are lawful and do not constitute discriminatory pricing, for such discounts to be considered discriminatory they must be applied unequally to similarly situated buyers in comparable transactions.
Source: bit.ly/4mghWEN

2. India’s Supreme Court has issued a notice to the central government on a petition seeking to make it mandatory for hospitals and clinical establishments to display service rates and charge fees within limits set by the Centre, in consultation with state governments. The Court noted that the failure to enforce this requirement stems from the government’s failure to specify the service charge limits which potentially impacts citizens’ fundamental right to healthcare.
Source: bit.ly/4jXJ75U

3. The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has upheld a government advisory requiring retail and wholesale pharmacies to install CCTV cameras and adopt computerized billing systems. This measure aims to curb the sale of prohibited drugs and enhance transparency in pharmaceutical operations.
Source: bit.ly/4mgjrCV

4. In a proposed Free Trade Agreement with the UK, India has reportedly decided to reduce import duties on medical devices under the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme starting only from the sixth year. This phased approach aligns consumer needs with the Make in India programme, aiming to protect domestic manufacturers while gradually opening market access for UK exporters.
Source: bit.ly/4mlyPy8

5. The U.S. government’s order to align domestic drug prices with global rates may impact Indian pharmaceutical firms, many of which rely heavily on U.S. revenues. Though primarily targeting Big Pharma, the move could subject Indian generic manufacturers to pricing pressure, potentially disrupting their business models and profitability.
Source: bit.ly/4dkH0Xt