New Delhi, Oct. 29 -- The Central Government has barred the import of medicines with less than one year of remaining shelf life, while allowing a separate provision for biological drugs and radiopharmaceuticals, according to a notification issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The new rule, notified under the Drugs (Thirteenth Amendment) Rules, 2026, amends Rule 31 of the Drugs Rules, 1945, and has come into effect from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette on October 28, 2026.

"The licensing authority shall not allow the import of any drug having less than one year residual shelf-life period as on the date of import," the ministry said in the Gazette notification.

The amendment means that medicines covered...