मुख्य तथ्य

• •Previous Rule: Cough syrups were under Schedule K, allowing OTC sale without a license in villages with <1000 residents.
• •New Rule: Cough syrups require a valid prescription and must be sold through licensed pharmacies nationwide.
• •Governing Act: Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.
• •Reason for Change: Strengthen regulatory oversight and align with contemporary public health safety requirements, following incidents of contaminated syrups.
• •Affected Population: Primarily rural residents who previously bought cough syrups from unlicensed local shops.
• •Past Incidents: Deaths of at least 22 children in Madhya Pradesh from contaminated cough syrups.