Centre restricts sale of cough syrups sans licence in villages

The Union ministry of health and family welfare has removed cough syrups from the so-called Schedule K, which exempts medicines from manufacturing, distribution, and retail licensing regulations that are otherwise mandatory for drugs — a move widely seen as an effort to clamp down on the manufacture of sub-par cough syrups, and their sales, in villages and small towns, by establishments that do not process drug retailing licence.

- Rhythma Kaul

There have been reports of rampant misuse of cough syrups across urban and rural India, with people seeing them as a cheaper, and more accessible option to liquor and drugs.

The health ministry gazette notified the removal of cough syrups from its list of schedule K drugs (those that can be sold over the counter and by retail establishments other than pharmacies also); this means only pharmacies can now sell cough syrups.

‘The health ministry announced the change in a statement.