Cough Syrup Purchase Will Need Prescription Now, Govt Curbs Over-Counter Sales
Cough Syrup Purchase Will Need Prescription Now, Govt Curbs Over-Counter Sales Published By Last Updated: June 16, 2026, 11:58 IST Ministry of Health and Family
Cough Syrup Purchase Will Need Prescription Now, Govt Curbs Over-Counter Sales Published By Last Updated: June 16, 2026, 11:58 IST Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, GoI, has removed cough syrups from the list of items that pharmacies can sell without prescription. Cough syrup can now only be bought with a prescription, as per a government order. (Representational image) The purchase of cough syrups will now require one to get a prescription from a doctor as per a gazette notification issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).
All ‘syrups’ have now come under the ambit of this order. On June 9th, the Government of India (GOI) released this order that drops the word ‘syrup’ from the schedule K of the Drugs Rules, 1945. Schedule K lists items that could be sold by pharmacies with a licence. It exempts the purchase of certain drugs from particular requirements under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, according to reports. The order states that the government took this decision, exercising its powers from sections 12 and 33 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, after consultation with the Drugs Technical Advisory Board.
In fact, this change has become official only now when no objections were raised following the issuance of its draft in December, 2025. In 2025, around 24 children had died in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh after consuming cough syrup contaminated with diethylene glycol. These syrups were from the domestic batches of ‘Coldrif’, which is manufactured by Sresan Pharmaceuticals. Similar cases of children dying after consuming contaminated or faulty syrups made in India have come to light in the past from foreign countries, including Uzbekistan. (With PTI inputs) News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: June 16, 2026, 11:58 IST News india Cough Syrup Purchase Will Need Prescription Now, Govt Curbs Over-Counter Sales Disclaimer: Comments reflect users’ views, not News18’s.
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