New Delhi, June 16 -- The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Tuesday issued a notification under which syrup medicines, including cough syrups, will no longer be available over the counter.

Consumers will now require a doctor's prescription to purchase such medicines.

The change comes after the Centre amended the Drugs Rules, 1945, through the Drugs (Fifth Amendment) Rules, 2026, notified in the Official Gazette on June 9.

Under the amendment, the word "Syrups" has been removed from item number (7) under serial number 13 of Schedule K of the Drugs Rules, 1945.

Schedule K lists categories of medicines that are exempt from certain provisions of Chapter IV of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, subject to specified conditions....