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’s Competition Watchdog gets new powers to issue interim orders to stop potentially infringing action, until case is finally decided
The Indian Government has made Section 33 of The Competition Act, 2002 effective from 20th February 2024. The Section gives powers to Competition Commission of India (CCI) to prevent commission of any potentially anti-competitive action or combination, including mergers and acquisitions, until it reaches a final decision on the matter. This new power puts the CCI’s powers on par with that of other anti-trust regulators around the world.
Source: bit.ly/4bFlPhj
Under narcotics law, the weight of carrier articles used to carry narcotics cannot be included in calculation of weight of narcotics seized: High Court
India’s Delhi High Court has held that ‘carrier articles’ do not qualify as ‘neutral substances’ in which narcotics are mixed, and therefore their weight cannot be included in the calculation of the weight of the narcotics seized from the accused. The weight of contraband is a critical criteria in deciding whether the quantity of contraband seized from accused is of small quantity or commercial quantity, which has direct ramification on accused’s ability to get bail and ultimately on the tenure of imprisonment.
Source: bit.ly/4bD9OJv
India’s Insurance Regulator will increase scrutiny of health and savings plan aimed at elderly in a bid to keep a check on misselling
India’s insurance regulator, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI), is proposing to introduce several checks in insurance products aimed at the elderly, including mandatory video verification before policy acceptance. There is also a proposal to restrict targets and incentives for insurance products sold to elderly through banks.
Source: bit.ly/4bFHWEr
Acute shortage of Doctors licensed to inspect workers in hazardous industries and food establishments reported in Maharashtra
Maharashtra’s labour department has reportedly not renewed licenses of many authorized certifying surgeons (ACS) for the past one and half years. The ACS are responsible for carrying out medical examination of workers in hazardous industries once in six months, and very hazardous industries once every month.
Source: bit.ly/3I7fm1c
Telemedicine abortions are safe and effective: Study.
A study published in Nature Medicine has confirmed that telemedicine abortions conducted after video call or text message consultations are safe and effective as in-person care. In India, medical termination of pregnancy (MTP) is not permitted except under direct supervision of a registered medical practitioner duly qualified to conduct MTP.
Source: bit.ly/3OPUNKB