Buying cough syrup or other liquid medicines from a pharmacy has become more difficult.
The Health Ministry has introduced a new rule that makes a doctor’s prescription mandatory for purchasing all medicines sold in syrup form.
This decision is expected to affect a large number of products, including popular cough syrups and some digestive medicines that were previously available over the counter.
Importantly, this is not a ban on these medicines.
They will still be available, but customers must now show a valid doctor’s prescription before buying them.
Why Has the Government Made This Change?
The Health Ministry recently amended the Drugs Rules, 1945.
Under the new notification, the word “syrups” has been removed from Schedule K of the rules.
The official notification states:
“In the Drugs Rules, 1945, in Schedule K, the word ‘Syrups’ shall be omitted.”
As a result, syrup-based medicines will no longer enjoy certain regulatory exemptions and will now require stricter control, including the need for a prescription.
What Is Schedule K?
Schedule K is a list of medicines that are exempt from some provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, subject to specific conditions.
Earlier, many syrup-based medicines fell under these exemptions, making them easier to purchase.
With syrups now removed from Schedule K, pharmacies will have to follow additional regulations while selling these products.
The government had first proposed this change through a draft notification in December last year.
Public feedback and suggestions were invited, and after reviewing all comments, the final notification was issued.
When Does the New Rule Apply?
The new rule has already come into effect.
However, it is still unclear how strictly the rule will be enforced by local chemists and state drug inspectors in the coming weeks and months.
Popular Syrups That May Be Affected
Several widely used syrup brands could be impacted by the new requirement, including:
Mankind Pharma – Asthakind range, Codistar range
Cipla – Lincotus
Sun Pharma – Chericof
Glenmark Pharma – Ascoril
Alkem Laboratories – Alkof Plus, Alkof Orange Cough Syrup
Ipca Laboratories – Solvin
Lupin – Lupituss Syrup / Oral Suspension
Ajanta Pharma – Adusol, Lecorast
What Should Consumers Do?
If you need a cough syrup or any other prescription-only liquid medicine, you may now need to consult a doctor first.
Remember, these products have not been banned.
The only change is that a doctor’s prescription is now required to purchase them from a pharmacy.
