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 Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), in its 45th meeting, decided that the amendment to the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020, will be enforceable from 1st July 2025. This is subject to the condition that at least 180 days have passed from the date of notification of the amendment. Additionally, in cases of emergency, a separate decision may be taken regarding enforcement.
Source: bit.ly/3BPK9jH

2. The Supreme Court of India recently ruled that while courts have the authority to order the seizure of vehicles pending trial under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS Act), there is no provision in the Act that prohibits the return of seized vehicles. The Court emphasized that owners of such vehicles should be given an opportunity to be heard regarding the restoration of possession, particularly if they had no knowledge of the transport of narcotic or psychotropic substances,
Source: bit.ly/3DNibWg

3. The Rajasthan High Court, in a matter seeking to quash a petition against pathologists at a hospital accused of falsifying reports based on signature irregularities, held that cases of medical negligence must be subjected to a higher degree of scrutiny. The court further stated that mere irregularities in documents do not constitute falsification.
Source: bit.ly/3C2O64y

4. India’s Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has issued a public notice regarding procedure for exporting certified organic products from the country. The new procedure requires that all ‘organic products’ intended for export should carry a Transaction Certificate issued by a National Accredited Body under the National Program for Organic Production (NPOP) and should be labelled in accordance with the NPOP. A revised NPOP will come into force from 5th July 2025
Source: bit.ly/4j48uD1

5. The US Food and Drug Administration has issued a finalized guidelines under the Advanced Manufacturing Technologies Designation Program, whereby manufacturers are able to obtain designation of the manufacturing process which may either reduce development time of drug or maintain supply of life-supporting, life-sustaining or critical drug.
Source: bit.ly/4j3H3Jr

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. To combat antimicrobial-resistance the Drugs Consultative Committee, which advises the Central and State Governments on conduct of Drug regulation in the country, has, in its 64th meeting recommended amendment to the Drug Rules to regulate sale of antibiotic Drugs to manufacturers who may not have a license under the Drug regulations.
Source: bit.ly/4evHfhA

2. The Punjab and Haryana High Court upheld the position that under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, upon seizure, the entirety of the bulk of the seized substance need not be sent to the Forensic Laboratory, rather merely a select homogenized sample thereof would be sufficient.
Source: bit.ly/4gx15uL

3. The Supreme Court has ordered the Central Government Ministry of Health and Family welfare, and the Government of Kerala to file counter-affidavits explaining the delayed action in setting up a special committee to study the effectiveness of the Rabies vaccine.
Source: bit.ly/3MXwwAE

4. The High Court of Bombay has struck down the insertion of Rule 3 of Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Amendment Rules, 2023, which empowered the government to set up fact-check units on the ground that this violated the fundamental right to equality and to carry on trade and business.
Source: bit.ly/4diYthg

5. The United States Federal Trade Commission has formally initiated litigation against Pharmacy Benefit Managers which act as middlemen between Drug Companies and Insurers, for deliberately driving the price of insulin higher for consumers and receiving rebates from manufacturers in the process.
Source: bit.ly/3zrNfcq