The New Drugs Bill: A missed opportunity for reforms in Ayush

The Bill takes regressive steps on the issue of drug safety

Over the past decade, the practice of traditional medicine in India has been plagued by scandals ranging from misleading advertising to the adulteration of drugs with chemical painkillers and heavy metals.

The recently unveiled New Drugs, Cosmetics and Medical Devices Bill, 2022, presented an opportunity to reform the law on this aspect but unfortunately the drafters of the Bill have largely stayed away from significant reform.  

Some history may help in setting the context for the challenges in regulating the Ayush industry. In 1940, when the parliament enacted the Drugs Act, the definition of “drugs” in that law excluded Ayurvedic