New Delhi, June 25 -- In a major step towards strengthening the quality, safety and integrity of India's pharmaceutical supply chain, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Thursday notified amendments to the Drugs Rules, 1945, to expand the ambit of Schedule H2 and bring additional categories of drugs under the QR Code-based track and trace framework.

According to the release, "Under the amended provisions, all vaccines, antimicrobials, narcotic and psychotropic drugs covered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and all anti-cancer drugs have been included under Schedule H2 of the Drugs Rules, 1945."

With this amendment, manufacturers of these drug formulations will be required to print or affix ...