On 15 June 2026, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare notified the Drugs (Fifth Amendment) Rules, 2026, removing cough syrups from the list of exemptions that earlier allowed their sale without a prescription.
Also Read: Why you shouldn’t Buy, Use, or Distribute Coldrif Cough Syrup — Read the Advisory
With effect from 9 June 2026, the word ‘syrups’ has been omitted from the Schedule K of Drugs Rules, 1945, which lists medicines exempt from certain regulatory conditions under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.
Earlier, cough syrups and similar liquid medicines were included in Schedule K, allowing them to be sold under relaxed rules, including in some cases without a prescription.
Following consultation with the Drugs Technical Advisory Board, this exemption has now been withdrawn. As a result, cough syrups and other medicinal syrups are no longer freely available and must be purchased only with a doctor’s prescription, ensuring safer use and tighter regulation.
Read more: Govt allows compounding of specific offences under Drugs and Cosmetics Act
[Drugs (Fifth Amendment) Rules, 2026, published on 15-6-2026]
Prescription Mandatory for Cough Syrups
