GUWAHATI: The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Tuesday, June 16, issued a notification making a doctor’s prescription mandatory for the purchase of all syrups, including cough syrups, across the country.
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The decision comes into effect following the publication of the Drugs (Fifth Amendment) Rules, 2026 in the Official Gazette on June 9.
Under the amended rules, the term “Syrups” has been removed from Schedule K of the Drugs Rules, 1945, which earlier allowed certain categories of medicines to be sold without a prescription under specified conditions.
With the amendment, syrup-based medicines, including commonly used cough syrups, can no longer be sold over the counter. Customers will now be required to produce a valid prescription issued by a registered medical practitioner to purchase such medicines from pharmacies.
According to the notification, the amendment was introduced after consultation with the Drugs Technical Advisory Board and after considering objections and suggestions received on the draft rules published in December 2025.
The ministry said the revised rules are intended to strengthen regulation of medicine sales and ensure dispensing under medical supervision. Pharmacists and retailers have been directed to comply with the amended provisions with immediate effect.