Cough syrups no longer OTC: who needs to take them and how?

In Focus by The Hindu · Jun 19, 2026 · 28m

Cough syrup is in the news again. Earlier this week, the Central government notified an amendment to the Drugs Rules of 1945. Under this amendment, the sale of cough syrups is only permitted at licensed pharmacies. Earlier, the sale of certain cough syrups was permitted over the counter in retail outlets in villages with small populations of less than 1,000 people, where licensed pharmacies may not have existed. This has now been changed to strengthen regulatory oversight. This means that cough syrups everywhere can be sold only at licensed pharmacies and with a doctor’s prescription, not…