With this amendment, syrup-based formulations, including cough syrups, will no longer qualify for Over-The-Counter (OTC) sale.
No cough syrup without doctor’s prescription: The government on Monday issued a notification barring over- the- counter sale of cough syrups. Now the consumers will require a valid doctor’s prescription to purchase such medicines.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in a notification issued on June 6, amended the Drugs Rules, 1945, removing ‘syrups’ from the list of medicines exempted under Schedule K. With this amendment, syrup-based formulations, including cough syrups, will no longer qualify for Over-The-Counter (OTC) sale and can be dispensed only on a doctor’s prescription. The ministry notified the change through the Drugs(Fifth Amendment) Rule, 2026.
The move comes months after contaminated cough syrups were linked to death of children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. The increased scrutiny follows concerns over the safety and regulation of commonly used liquid medicines.
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