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. Various State Pharmacy Councils are reportedly planning to issue notices to pharmacists who work in medical shops that advertise discounts through physical discount boards, warning them that working in such shops is unethical and illegal, and may result in cancellation of registration.
Source: bit.ly/4h0LByd

2. India’s Supreme Court has stayed the Kerala High Court order which had directed Central Government to continue to support a patient suffering from rare disease, even after the medical expense of the patient crossed the Rs. 50 lakh limit imposed by The National Policy for Rare Diseases.
Source: bit.ly/41B8zHE

3. Beverage manufacturers will have to use rigid plastic packaging such as PET bottles that contain at least 30% recycled plastic content. India’s Ministry of Environment had introduced this requirement as part of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for plastic producers.
Source: bit.ly/4hVwTts

4. State Drug Controllers are reportedly finding it difficult to prosecute drug manufacturers based in other states who manufacture substandard drugs because information required for prosecution is not readily made available by State Licensing Authority of State in which the manufacturer is located.
Source: bit.ly/4h5WvTj

5. India’s Central Drug Regulator (CDSCO) is reportedly planning to simplify Export No Objection Certificate (NOC) issued for unapproved drugs, by removing buyer and quantity-specific limitations, based on the exporting company’s export history. This may improve regulatory efficiency and ease manpower strain.
Source: bit.ly/3F3Tdm6

TOP 5 HEALTH LAWS AND POLICY UPDATES

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.

Scientific works are not protected under India’s Copyright Law: High Court
India’s High Court of Andhra Pradesh has held that India’s copyright law only protects original literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works. It does not protect scientific works, as covered under books of Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Botany and Zoology used by Students. The Court clarified that mathematical equations and science subjects do not qualify as ‘original works’ because they are the matter of fact and nature.
Source: bit.ly/432GSqc

All rare disease drugs imported into India will be exempted from requirement to pay customs duty: High Court
India’s Delhi High Court has issued an order exempting drugs and medicines used in therapy for rare diseases from requirement of payment of customs duty. Prior to the order, the exemptions from payment of customs duty was limited to drugs used for treatment of Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) or Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). Earlier the Court had directed the National Rare Diseases Committee to hold deliberations with manufacturing and marketing companies to explore the possibility of procuring the medicines at a reasonable price.
Source: bit.ly/3T1H2JN

Flow of counterfeit products into Indian market to be checked through a new surveillance system
India’s Ministry of Consumer Affairs is planning to develop a new surveillance system to identify counterfeit products sold in the retail market. The Ministry proposes to collect samples soon after they enter the retail market and test them under new laboratories which will be set-up specifically for the purposes.
Source: bit.ly/3T5EKta

Online gaming guidelines to prevent compulsive gaming in India to be published
India’s Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA) is planning to commission a research on the disruptive impulse control behavioural patterns of digital consumption that may cause vulnerabilities. The initial part of the research will be focused on online gaming addiction. The research would later be expanded to identify the underlying factors of excessive consumption of online content. The findings of the research would be used to provide policy inputs for framing of the Guidelines for protecting the interests of the consumers.
Source: bit.ly/3T1hXPb

US BioSecure Act to impact Indian biotechnology companies providing services or manufacturing products for US market
The BIOSECURE Act which has been introduced in the US House of Representatives prohibits US federal agencies from entering into contract with any entity that uses biotechnology equipment or services from a biotechnology company of concern to perform a federal contract. Some Chinese companies have been identified as biotechnology company of concern, and the list may be expanded to include companies from Russia, Iran and North Korea as well.
Source: bit.ly/3V5yQeq