Drugs

Following a US FDA warning over a rare vision-loss condition, specialists say the absolute risk remains low, while the metabolic and cardiovascular benefits of GLP-1 drugs are substantial

Vector Consulting survey finds manufacturing incident investigations taking up to six months to resolve, delaying drug batch releases and affecting productivity at pharma plants

Good policy lies in balancing competing priorities, from affordability and innovation to inclusion and protection, while ensuring growth, accountability and long-term sustainability

Next phase of growth hinges on biologics, peptides, and drug-device combinations, say industry executives

The move is expected to reduce export approval timelines for biologics manufacturers using different brand names in overseas markets, provided the products are already approved in India

Markets at many places remained shut, and private schools in several districts were closed in Punjab on Thursday in view of a bandh called over the murder of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota. Jhota's family had given the call for 'Punjab Bandh' with support from political parties including Congress, Akali Dal, BJP and Akali Dal Waris Punjab De; farmers' body Samyukta Kisan Morcha and other farmers' unions; and state government employees' unions. Jhota, known for raising his voice against drug abuse and illegal sale of addictive substances at chemist shops, was shot in broad daylight at a busy marketplace in Mansa town on Tuesday. Ashwani Kumar, the medical store owner who allegedly opened fire on Jhota, was taken into custody from Rajasthan's Salasar on Wednesday. Following the bandh call, shops and markets remained shut at several places, including Hoshiarpur, Ferozepur and Mansa. However, emergency services remained operational. Many private schools in Hoshiarpur, Jaland

SC scrutiny highlights the need for statutory backing, clear enforcement and patient-focused regulation

Under the current rules, pharmaceutical manufacturers cannot advertise drugs covered under Schedules H, H1 and X without prior approval from the Central Government

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday said 10,000 new recruitments in the police will be made to root out drugs, as he highlighted the state's fight against the drug menace. Speaking at Maharaja Ranjit Singh Academy, Phillaur, after honouring police officers, he said police have full freedom to take every legitimate action against drugs and directed them to go to villages and towns, take people along and crack down on the menace. He said 'Yudh Nashean Virudh' has now become a mass awareness movement across Punjab, while the police force will soon get 450 ASIs and 3,400 police personnel. The state government is expanding and modernising the police force, he said, adding that "We are directly recruiting 450 ASIs. Around 3,400 recruits are currently undergoing training, while 10,000 additional police posts are proposed to be advertised in the coming financial year." "This is a historic initiative through which I, along with the Director General of Police, am directly engagin

The Drugs Consultative Committee has sought a detailed proposal from Rajasthan amid concerns that machinery from closed pharma units could be used to make spurious drugs

The Drugs Consultative Committee has sought the DGHS opinion and data on Merbromin's manufacture and use before deciding on its continued inclusion under Schedule K

From 20-year patent protection to government use and compulsory licensing, here's how India regulates drug patents and what the law allows when access to medicines becomes a public concern

Drug regulator asks healthcare professionals and pharmacists to discourage indiscriminate use of NSAIDs and antibiotics, citing risks of kidney damage and CKD

The company is racing ​to reassure markets that ​it can navigate patent expirations for semaglutide - the active ingredient in its anti-obesity ​drugs Ozempic and Wegovy franchises, in the early 2030s

The top 10 in August included Sun Pharma, Cipla, Abbott, Mankind Pharma, Torrent Pharmaceuticals, Alkem Laboratories, Intas Pharmaceuticals, Lupin, Zydus Lifesciences and Dr Reddy's Laboratories

Drug regulator proposes prominent age warning and pictorial label on cough syrups; the move comes after continued concerns over use of such medicines in very young children

Draft rules require CCTV surveillance for prescription drug sales at licensed premises and mandate that recordings be preserved for a minimum period of three months

CDSCO expert panel grants waiver for 920 mg Ocrelizumab, subject to Roche conducting a Phase 4 clinical trial in the Indian population for proposed indications

Drug major Cipla Ltd on Thursday said its wholly owned subsidiary, Invagen Pharmaceuticals Inc, has entered into a strategic partnership with Qilu Pharmaceutical for the licensing and supply of a biosimilar to the cancer drug Keytruda in the United States. The product, QL2107, is a biosimilar to pembrolizumab (Keytruda) and aims to improve access to advanced therapies for cancer patients while lowering treatment costs, Cipla said in a regulatory filing. Under the agreement, Qilu will be responsible for the development, regulatory registration, and supply of the product, while Cipla will leverage its commercial presence to market the asset in the US. "This partnership reflects Cipla's confidence in the long-term potential of biosimilars and supports our strategy to build a strong oncology-focused portfolio," said Achin Gupta, Managing Director and Global Chief Executive Officer, Cipla. Hanchang Zhang, General Manager of Qilu Pharmaceutical, said, "We are pleased to establish this ..

The Maharashtra cabinet on Tuesday approved a policy aimed at eradicating drugs from the state by 2029 through extensive public awareness and strict action against narcotics with the participation of all departments. Maharashtra is the first state in the country to undertake such a comprehensive campaign, involving coordination among various departments, to create a drug-free state, a statement issued by the government said. Under the policy, strict action will be taken against the cultivation of crops that contribute to the production of illegal drugs, as well as the production, transportation, sale and consumption of natural and synthetic drugs. "The policy will focus on extensive public awareness and strict action against drugs, with the participation of all departments of the state government. To ensure the successful implementation of this comprehensive policy, responsibilities have been assigned from the village level to the district, divisional and ministerial levels," the ..