Consumers will now need a valid prescription from a registered medical practitioner to purchase such medications.
New Delhi: The Centre on Tuesday prohibited the over-the-counter (OTC) sale of syrup-based medicines, including cough syrups, without a doctor's prescription by amending the Drugs Rules, 1945.
The move comes after the government removed the word "syrups" from a category of exempted drugs under Schedule K, tightening regulatory oversight of such formulations.
The change was notified through the Drugs (Fifth Amendment) Rules, 2026, and is aimed at strengthening regulatory control over the manufacture, sale and distribution of syrup formulations.
"Schedule K" of the Drugs Rules, 1945 contains categories of drugs that are exempt from certain provisions of the law governing their manufacture, sale and distribution, subject to specified conditions. These exemptions were originally introduced to facilitate easier access to certain medicines by relaxing some compliance requirements under defined circumstances.
