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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 has reportedly agreed to reduce tariffs on a broad range of U.S. exports, including medical devices, manufactured goods and chemicals from about 13.5% to zero. Lower tariffs on medical devices from the US would help hospitals and clinics in India to procure advanced equipment more cheaply, improving healthcare delivery and access.
Source: h7.cl/1ow26

2. US FDA has shut down over 200 illegal online pharmacy websites linked to an India-based criminal network. The sites allegedly sold unapproved and counterfeit medicines to U.S. consumers, raising serious public health concerns and highlighting the need for stronger regulation and cross-border cooperation.
Source: h7.cl/1ow29

3. The Indian government is reportedly examining a proposal to mandate pharmaceutical companies to allocate at least 1% of their net profits for free medicines during health emergencies by amending the Drugs Rules, 1945. However, the move faces legal constraints, as CSR spending is governed by the Companies Act, 2013. The central drugs regulator, CDSCO, is reassessing the proposal’s feasibility.
Source: h7.cl/1ow2c

4. The Association of Indian Medical Device Industry (AiMEd) has reportedly opposed any reconsideration or easing of policy restrictions on importing refurbished or pre-owned medical equipment. Association has urged the government to uphold the ban on imports, enforce stricter regulations by emphasizing the strengthening of indigenous innovation like Make in India.
Source: h7.cl/1ow2i

5. A leading fast moving consumer goods manufacturer has filed a suit in the Calcutta High Court, alleging deceptive imitation of its biscuit packaging and trade dress by a rival. The suit seeks injunction against sale and distribution, claiming consumer confusion and unfair competition. The court has taken the matter on record and scheduled further hearing shortly.
Source: h7.cl/1jt71

Posted on

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 Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has constituted a committee to develop a policy governing refurbished medical devices. The committee will examine the scope of refurbished medical devices, methodology to evaluate the safety, performance, and remaining useful life of refurbished medical devices & suggest guidance for waste disposal of such refurbished devices.
Source: h7.cl/1o8qd

2. Indian government has announced a tax holiday until 2047 for foreign companies that provide cloud services globally using data centres located in India. Further, there will be no risk of foreign firms’ global income being taxed in India solely because they use Indian data centres. This move is aimed at attracting long-term investment into India’s digital infrastructure.
Source: h7.cl/1o8qp

3. Indian Government has released first national evidence-based lung cancer treatment and palliation guidelines. It offers 15 recommendations to standardise diagnosis, treatment and palliative care, improve early detection, reduce treatment disparities and ensure consistent, patient-centred care across the country.
Source: h7.cl/1o8qA

4. India’s Ministry of Consumer Affairs issued show-cause notices to major edible oil companies for violating the amended Vegetable Oils Products, Production and Availability (VOPPA) Order, 2025. Companies failed to submit monthly production data and register on official portals. Authorities have warned that continued non-compliance could lead to inspections and confiscation under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.
Source: h7.cl/1o8qN

5. The United States Food and Drug Administration has launched the PreCheck pilot program to strengthen domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing. The initiative offers early regulatory engagement for new manufacturing facilities, improving predictability, streamlining facility assessments and accelerating readiness to supply medicines for the United States market.
Source: h7.cl/1o8qS

Posted on

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. Indian state Tamil Nadu has informed the Madras High Court that it is cracking down on illegal organ transplants after a kidney racket surfaced. Licenses of two hospitals were suspended for forged approvals, and reforms have been proposed, including stronger oversight and awareness campaigns. The court is set to review the progress in this matter.
Source: short-link.me/1bV1v

2. India’s Parliamentary Committee has urged an expansion of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order (DPCO) to cover more cancer drugs, noting that many oncology medications remain unaffordable. The panel also recommended regular market assessments, stricter oversight of generic drug quality, streamlined regulatory pathways, and strengthened domestic research to improve access.
Source: short-link.me/1bV1y

3. Months after India halted imports of refurbished medical devices, medical devices companies are reportedly urging limits on such restrictions and seeking inclusion in the government’s Electronics Repair Services Outsourcing (ERSO) pilot to support repair operations. The Medical Technology Association of India (MTaI) warns the ban could impact healthcare access.
Source: short-link.me/1bV1A

4. A parliamentary panel recommends nationwide expansion of palliative care under the National Programme for Palliative Care (NPPC), urging robust outcome indicators to assess quality of life impact. The Committee seeks integration with all hospital levels, insurance schemes, and occupational rehabilitation for survivors.
Source: short-link.me/17sHl

5. Delhi’s Drug Control Department has confirmed that all 48 tested samples of suspected counterfeit cancer medicines met quality standards and were found genuine. As part of ongoing anti-counterfeit efforts, authorities collected a total of 127 samples, with results for the remaining 79 still pending.
Source: short-link.me/1bV1E

Posted on

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 Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) has recommended a three-year safeguard duty on select steel imports, which is expected to hike costs for medical devices using 316L stainless steel (e.g., surgical tools, implants). This could pressure production margins, inflate end-user prices, and strain India’s competitiveness in domestic and export markets.
Source: short-link.me/17nS4

2. A high level inter departmental committee has reportedly commenced drafting rules to regulate the import of refurbished medical devices into India. Presently, imports are only allowed for high-end high value devices that haven’t been phased out overseas, contain no hazardous materials, and have a minimum seven-year residual life.
Source: short-link.me/1bQ2x

3. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has formed a national committee to draft guidelines for brain stem death certification, including for children. The expert panel will also develop training modules, certification criteria, monitoring tools, and audit systems to improve organ donation and critical care practices across the country.
Source: short-link.me/17nSk

4. NATHEALTH urges standardizing the GST input slab at 5% for healthcare and enabling input tax credit wherever output GST applies. The move aims to reduce hidden embedded taxes, estimated at 5.5–6% of provider revenue easing cost burdens on hospitals and diagnostic labs.
Source: short-link.me/1bQ2O

5. A parliamentary standing committee has reportedly recommended accelerating the rollout of a single-dose HPV vaccine to strengthen cervical cancer prevention. The panel also urged expansion of oncopathology infrastructure, especially in underserved regions like the Northeast.
Source: short-link.me/17nSB

Posted on

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 Rajasthan High Court (RHC) recently ruled that “a laboratory report can be countersigned only by a registered medical practitioner with a post-graduate qualification in pathology.” The court made this observation while hearing a petition that sought to restrict non-MBBS practitioners from signing medical laboratory reports.
Source: bit.ly/3WnKfWx

2. India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) recently issued a letter to the Principal Commissioner of Customs, stating that the import of pre-owned, refurbished, or second-hand medical devices into the country is prohibited. CDSCO clarified that, as of now, there are no specific provisions in place for the regulation of such devices, and therefore, customs authorities have been directed to halt the importation of these items.
Source: bit.ly/3Ce6F5S

3. The Government of India has revised the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961, to designate the Department of Health Research (DHR) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) as the authority responsible for Health Technology Assessment (HTA) matters. This change underscores DHR’s role, which already oversees Health Technology Assessment India (HTAIn), in evaluating the appropriateness and cost-effectiveness of both existing and new health technologies in the country as part of its “Research Governance” mandate.
Source: bit.ly/40hgGax

4. The Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) has updated the number of blocked pharmacists on its DIGI-PHARMed portal, increasing the list from 45,355 to 91,586. Affected pharmacists are required to re-register for re-verification. This action addresses issues with duplicate, invalid, or incorrect profiles on the platform, which supports pharmacy education by providing centralized services nationwide.
Source: bit.ly/42cCXc5

5. The World Health Organization has released a draft document to guide the adoption of continuous manufacturing (CM). This document covers finished products, as well as excipients and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) produced through a CM process. The WHO is inviting feedback from stakeholders via its online platform, with comments due by 7 March 2025.
Source: bit.ly/42dNWSD