New Delhi, April 16 -- India is planning to overhaul its pharmaceutical storage rules for vaccines and biological products, as gaps in the regulatory framework have frequently led to drugs being stored under improper temperature conditions, potentially compromising their efficacy, according to two government officials and documents reviewed by Mint.

The plan is to define and classify these medications into two group- thermostable or those that can survive high temperatures, and thermolabile, or those that cannot, to ensure medicines, including insulin and vaccines are handled with scientific precision throughout the supply chain. Currently, the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, lacks these specific classifications.

While Schedule P of the ...