The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has issued a notification coming into force that all ‘syrups’, including cough syrup, will no longer be available without a prescription.
A prescription from a doctor will be required to purchase the ‘syrup’, according to a notification from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare dated June 9.
A draft notification in this regard was issued in December. Since no objection to the order has been raised by the concerned parties, it has now been notified to the Official Gazette.
The notification carries a major amendment to the Indian Drugs Rules, 1945, removing the word ‘juices’ from the category of drugs which were exempt from certain regulatory provisions under Schedule K.
This means that cough syrups and other medicines containing syrup are no longer included in the exemption listed under:
Schedule K, Serial No. 13, Item No. (7). Schedule K contains drugs that are exempt from certain requirements of the Drug and Cosmetics Act/Rules under specific conditions.
This curb comes against the backdrop of several deaths linked to faulty cough syrup lozenges in the country.
