India will soon receive a list of prescription drugs reclassified as OTC, allowing their sale without prescriptions. The OTC sub-committee is finalizing its report, prioritizing public health before submission to the DTAB.

India is expected to receive an official list of prescription drugs that will be reclassified as over-the-counter (OTC) medicines this month. Dr. Anupam Prakash, chairman of the committee, stated that the OTC sub-committee, tasked with evaluating this transition, is finalizing its report.

The list, once approved, will allow certain commonly used drugs to be sold in general stores without a prescription. Dr. Prakash emphasized that public health remains a priority, and only select medicines will be considered for OTC status. 

The report will soon be submitted to the Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB). Unlike the US, UK, and China, India currently lacks a structured framework for regulating OTC drug sales despite the widespread informal availability of such medicines.

(Source: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/healthcare/biotech/pharmaceuticals/india-set-to-introduce-list-of-otc-drugs-this-month/articleshow/118716313.cms)