New Delhi, Oct. 22 -- In a fresh bid to curb overprescribing and irrational use of medicines, which typically drive up patients' medical bills and fuel drug resistance, the health ministry's Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) has laid out clearer criteria for selecting medicines included in the National Formulary of India (NFI) 2026, according to two officials and an IPC document reviewed by Mint. The move aims to encourage safer, more appropriate treatments without restricting doctors' clinical judgement.

The updated guidelines cover a wide range of essential treatments, such as everyday priority medicines: antibiotics, pain relievers, government-cleared drugs, low-cost generic substitutes sold at Jan Aushadhi outlets, and vital medi...