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 Health Ministry has issued a draft notification proposing revisions to blood product testing requirements. It proposes that products must comply with standards in the Indian Pharmacopoeia, or where unavailable, the United States or British Pharmacopoeia, and removes the requirement to test final products for HIV-I, HIV-II, Hepatitis B surface antigen, and Hepatitis C antibodies.
Source: short-url.org/1lAp8

2. The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has enabled online submission of applications for licences to manufacture recombinant deoxyribonucleic acid based drugs under Forms 28D and 28DA through the Online National Drugs Licensing System (SUGAM portal). From 10 March 2026, the regulator will no longer accept physical applications.
Source: short-url.org/1qJFy

3. The 93rd meeting of the Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB), held on 16 February 2026, reviewed key technical and regulatory matters under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and Rules. The board discussed policy recommendations, regulatory amendments, and technical issues affecting pharmaceuticals, biologics, and medical products, guiding future regulatory updates.
Source: short-url.org/1qJFF

4. India’s Telangana Drugs Control Administration has launched a bulk SMS alert system to instantly notify pharmacies and wholesalers about Not of Standard Quality (NSQ) drugs, enabling rapid recalls of sub standard drugs, strengthening regulatory monitoring, supply-chain transparency, and patient safety across the state’s pharmaceutical market.
Source: short-url.org/1lApq

5. The Technology Development Board of Government of India has extended financial support to commercialise a rapid diagnostic kit for childhood diarrhea, aimed at enabling faster detection of infections in paediatric patients.
Source: short-url.org/1lApu

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. Delhi High Court has held that English alphabets cannot be monopolised under trademarks law, refusing interim protection to the mark “A to Z” used for pharmaceutical products. The Court held the mark is descriptive, lacking distinctiveness, and cannot bar another company’s use of the letters A and Z, vacating an earlier injunction granted in favour of the company.
Source: h7.cl/1idmr

2. India’s Karnataka High Court has ruled that doctors with an MD in Anesthesiology do not require separate training to prescribe, possess, or dispense essential narcotic drugs for pain relief and palliative care, as Anaesthesiology comprises necessary training prescribed under NDPS Rule and no separate training is essential. The court directed authorities to grant certifications to hospitals designating such practitioners, allowing them to procure and prescribe narcotics.
Source: h7.cl/1idmx

3. Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently notified the Foreign Exchange Management (Export and Import of Goods and Services) Regulations, 2026, unifying goods and services trade under one FEMA framework. The regulation mandate services-export reporting, strengthen bank monitoring, tighten delayed-proceeds norms, and ease compliance for MSMEs, reflecting services’ role in India’s external sector.
Source: h7.cl/1ncIW

4. India’s Central Government has issued a new Drug Procurement Policy under the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS), introducing demand-driven bulk purchasing, enhanced quality assurance, and transparent drug procurement processes. The policy aims to ensure uninterrupted medicine access, optimize resource utilization, and strengthen supply chain resilience across all CGHS establishments.
Source: h7.cl/1ncJh

5. India’s central drug regulator approved a record number of Recombinant DNA (r-DNA) origin drugs in 2025, granting permission for 28 new drugs for manufacture and 44 for import and marketing, the highest in five years. Approvals included insulin, oncology and immunology products.
Source: h7.cl/1ncJy