Centre bans OTC sale of all medicinal syrups; prescription now mandatory at pharmacies
Government amends Drugs Rules 1945 to require a doctor's prescription for every medicinal syrup sold at chemist counters. Cough lozenges and tablets stay unrestricted. The move, triggered by contaminated cough syrup deaths, reshapes counter sales for pharmacy chains and FMHCG syrup brands.
Centre amends Drugs Rules 1945, mandating doctor's prescription for sale of all medicinal syrups at pharmacies. OTC sale of syrups now banned, though cough lozenges and tablets remain unrestricted. Move follows contaminated cough syrup deaths.
Why this matters
Expands an earlier tightening of cough syrup rules into a blanket prescription mandate across all medicinal syrups, deepening regulatory pressure on OTC pharmacy revenue and FMHCG syrup brands.
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