India Ends OTC Sale of Cough Syrups; Prescription Now Mandatory Under Amended Schedule K
Health Ministry's Drugs (Fifth Amendment) Rules, 2026 strikes syrups from Schedule K Entry 7, forcing pharmacists to verify and log prescriptions for every medicinal syrup sale. Move hits self-medication revenue at chemist chains and OTC-driven pharmacy retail nationwide.
India's Health Ministry amended Schedule K to remove syrups from OTC exemption, mandating doctor prescriptions for all medicinal syrups including cough syrups. Pharmacists must verify and record sales, impacting pharmacy retail and self-medication categories nationwide.