An expert committee under India’s apex drug regulator has urged amendments to existing drug rules to halt the advertising of prescription-only and high-risk medicines.

During a meeting last month, the Drug Consultative Committee of the Central Drugs Standards Control Organisation (CDSCO) expressed concern over the widespread and largely unregulated promotion of potent drugs across digital platforms.

The medicines in question include life-saving injectables, antibiotics, hormonal therapies, psychotropic drugs, anti-cancer treatments and narcotics.

According to meeting minutes reviewed by India Today, current drug-licence conditions already prohibit manufacturers from advertising medicines listed under Schedules H, H1 and X without prior approval from the Central government.

However, the

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