New Delhi, June 18 -- The cough and cold liquids market of the Indian Pharmaceutical Industry, valued at approximately Rs 57 billion, faces a serious risk of volume decline as the Indian government banned over-the-counter (OTC) sales of all syrups, including cough syrups, effective since Tuesday (June 16).

According to a Kotak report, the strict enforcement of this regulation means that all syrups will now be dispensed exclusively through legal prescriptions. The report highlighted that the low-growth liquid cough and cold segment currently accounts for 2.2 per cent of the overall Indian Pharmaceutical Market.

"In the low-growth liquid cough/cold segment (Rs 57 bn market size; 2.2% of IPM), the industry now faces a serious risk of volum...