News
Pharmacy & healthcare news
Industry updates, regulation, and developments that matter to Indian pharmacies.
Closure of Janaushadhi Kendras in Karnataka government hospitals sparks political and public debate
The Karnataka government’s decision to phase out Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Janaushadhi Kendras from state-run hospital campuses has stirred controversy, with critics warning it could disrupt affordable medicine access and hurt pharmacy entrepreneurs operating under the central scheme.
May 22, 2025
Rajasthan bans 42 companies for supplying substandard drugs under free medicine scheme
The Rajasthan Medical Services Corporation (RMSC) has barred 42 pharmaceutical companies from participating in future tenders after their products failed quality testing under the state’s Chief Minister Free Medicine Scheme.
May 22, 2025
CDSCO flags 196 drug samples as not of standard quality including one spurious Deca-Durabolin
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) has flagged 196 drug samples as Not of Standard Quality (NSQ) and one sample as spurious in its latest monthly drug alert.
May 21, 2025
DCGI cancels import registrations of cosmetics with excessive salicylic acid content
The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has cancelled the import registration of several skincare cosmetics imported by Spectra Medical India Pvt. Ltd., citing violations of Rule 39 of the Cosmetics Rules, 2020.
May 21, 2025
AI system developed to identify alternative antibiotics for drug-resistant infections
A collaborative team of researchers from IIIT-Delhi and Inria Saclay, France has developed an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven system to identify alternative antibiotics for treating drug-resistant bacterial infections.
May 20, 2025
FDA issues safety alert on post-discontinuation itching from cetirizine, levocetirizine
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a safety alert for the popular antihistamines cetirizine (Zyrtec) and levocetirizine (Xyzal), warning that patients may experience severe itching (pruritus) after stopping long-term use of the drugs.
May 20, 2025
Man arrested in Delhi with banned pharma drugs and foreign cigarettes linked to Dubai-based network
Delhi Police have arrested a 48-year-old man, Sanjay Kumar Pandey, from Mehram Nagar, Southwest Delhi, for storing and supplying banned pharmaceutical drugs and prohibited foreign cigarettes.
May 20, 2025
Government may bring Tapentadol under narcotics act amid misuse concerns
The government is planning to place the opioid painkiller Tapentadol under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act to regulate its abuse, especially after reports of unregulated exports to West African countries where it has been fueling an opioid epidemic.
May 2, 2025
Phasing out of medicines and brands becomes a concern for Indian pharma
The pharmaceutical industry in India has raised concerns about the increasing challenge of phasing out brands and medicines based on safety updates, regulatory, or commercial choices.
May 2, 2025
Ranitidine ban put off in India amid cancer risk fears
India's senior drug advisory committee has put off taking action on banning Ranitidine, a common antacid, even as there have been recent suggestions from an expert committee and global regulatory suspensions due to cancer-related impurities.
May 2, 2025
DavaIndia launches online pharmacy services in Varanasi with 60-minute delivery
Generic retail pharmacy chain DavaIndia, an initiative by Zota Healthcare, has furthered its digital presence by putting on line its e-commerce platform in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
May 19, 2025
Chemists warn government against adding more medicines to OTC list
The All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD), in its Meghalaya unit, cautioned that the Centre's plan to widen the list of over-the-counter (OTC) drugs may lead to severe public health consequences and upend the retail pharmaceutical value chain.
May 18, 2025
Indian pharma turnover passes ₹4.17 lakh crore in FY24, receives ₹12,822 crore FDI
The Indian pharma industry continues to rise steadily, crossing a turnover of ₹4,17,345 crore in FY 2023–24.
May 18, 2025
Kerala drug regulator serves first-ever notice under rule 170 for misleading ayurvedic ad
In a pioneering regulatory action, the Kerala Deputy Drugs Controller (Ayurveda) has warned Pankajakasthuri Herbals India Pvt Ltd for the violation of Rule 170 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945.
May 18, 2025
Bihar authorities seize narcotic syrups in Barharia medical store raid
District officials in Barharia, Siwan district, Bihar, raided a medical shop and confiscated huge stocks of narcotic cough syrups on sale without a license.
May 17, 2025
Woman dies after being given sulphas tablet for toothache by chemist in Madhya Pradesh
A 32-year-old woman from Jhabua district, Madhya Pradesh, tragically died after consuming a sulphas (aluminium phosphide) tablet that was mistakenly given to her by a chemist instead of a painkiller.
May 17, 2025
DTAB declines ban on Lindane for Scabies and Lice, recommends safe disposal guidance
The Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) has not banned lindane, a topical drug prescribed as a second-line option for scabies and lice infestation, despite earlier restriction of its use in agriculture by the Ministry of Agriculture and worldwide environmental issues.
May 16, 2025
Lupin receives US FDA approval for Rivaroxaban tablets in 10 mg, 15 mg, and 20 mg strengths
Lupin Limited has received approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) for its Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) for rivaroxaban tablets USP in strengths of 10 mg, 15 mg, and 20 mg.
May 16, 2025
Telangana DCA seizes herbal syrup over misleading fever cure claim
Telangana Drugs Control Administration (DCA) seized quantities of 'Herbal Fever Guard Syrup' from a medical shop in Adilabad for its deceptive therapeutic claims.
May 16, 2025
Uttar Pradesh seizes ₹30.77 crore worth of spurious medicines, cancels over 1,100 licenses in crackdown
In the biggest anti-counterfeit drug drive in India, Uttar Pradesh Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) confiscated spurious drugs worth ₹30.77 crore during the year 2024–25.
May 16, 2025
SBI card and Apollo HealthCo launch Apollo SBI Card SELECT for health-focused consumers
SBI Card, India’s leading pure-play credit card issuer, has partnered with Apollo HealthCo to launch the Apollo SBI Card SELECT—a co-branded credit card designed to promote health and wellness spending.
May 15, 2025
Bharat Biotech introduces Biolumpivaxin Vaccine against Lumpy Skin disease in cattle
Biovet, the veterinary division of Bharat Biotech, has introduced Biolumpivaxin, a cutting-edge vaccine created to counter Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) in buffaloes and cattle.
May 14, 2025
Cytokinetics reports positive results for Heart Drug Aficamten in late-stage trial
Biopharmaceutical firm Cytokinetics has reported that its experimental heart drug, aficamten, produced strong improvements over standard-of-care therapy in obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (oHCM) patients.
May 14, 2025
DTAB requests DCGI to order withdrawal of licenses for irrational antibiotic FDCs
Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) instructed the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to pursue product license withdrawal for irrational fixed-dose combination (FDC) antibiotics with State Licensing Authorities (SLAs).
May 14, 2025
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