Aimed towards strengthening India’s drug-advertising rules, the government has proposed amendments to the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules 1945, which would explicitly ban advertising of Schedule G, H, H1 and X medicines across all platforms, including digital channels. The proposal aims to close regulatory gaps that currently enable indirect promotion of high-risk prescription medicines online.

Under the draft framework, every drug licence would include a compulsory clause prohibiting advertising of restricted medicines. This would place clear accountability on sellers, wholesalers and distributors, ensuring that prescription-only drugs—such as potent antibiotics, psychotropics, hormonal treatments and controlled substances—cannot be marketed directly or indirectly to consumers.

The move follows growing concerns that ambiguous licensing conditions and outdated legal provisions have allowed digital platforms to promote or display prescription drugs in ways that influence self-medication. The revised rules will soon be reviewed by the Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB).

Regulators have also acknowledged that the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act of 1954 is no longer adequate to deal with the complexity of modern digital advertising, particularly on e-commerce and health platforms. Strengthening the regulatory architecture is therefore seen as essential for preventing consumer harm and curbing misuse of critical medicines.

Online pharmacy platforms have begun responding to the proposed crackdown. Tata 1mg clarified that it limits promotional activities to OTC products and does not advertise prescription medicines on its platform.

Healthcare specialists have endorsed the proposal, cautioning that promotion of high-risk medicines contributes to inappropriate self-medication, diagnostic delays and rising antimicrobial resistance. Legal experts have also pointed out that existing compliance gaps often allow prescription drugs to be pushed through indirect or disguised marketing, making stronger enforcement necessary.

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For India’s pharma and digital-health ecosystem, the proposal signifies a clear shift toward more responsible marketing practices, tighter oversight, and a renewed focus on patient safety as the digital health sector continues to expand.

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