Government: No cough syrup sale without prescription

Buying cough syrup without a doctor's medicine whitethorn nary longer beryllium imaginable aft the Centre withdrew a decades-old exemption that allowed definite syrup formulations to beryllium sold nether relaxed regulatory conditions.The alteration comes months aft contaminated cough syrups linked to kid deaths successful MP triggered a WHO alert. The wellness ministry has amended the Drugs Rules, 1945 by removing "syrups" from Schedule K. Lozenges, pills and tablets for cough, however, proceed to stay connected the exempted list.The exemption had allowed cough syrups to beryllium sold arsenic household remedies successful villages with populations beneath 1,000.With the amendment coming into force, cough syrups volition present person to beryllium sold done licensed pharmacies, bringing them nether the regular regulatory model governing medicines.Officials said the latest amendment is intended to fortify regulatory oversight, amended accountability successful the organisation concatenation and align older exemptions with present-day nationalist wellness and information requirements. Health experts said the alteration could amended traceability and regulatory monitoring of cough syrups, which stay among the astir commonly utilized medicines successful agrarian India.