• The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has established a panel to monitor nutraceuticals and subsequently transfer supervisory powers from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India(FSSAI) to the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO).

• This, in turn, shall place the nutraceuticals under the ambit of the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA).

• Nutraceuticals are food products purported to provide additional health benefits and basic nutrition and are regulated under Section 22 of the FSSAI.

• CODEX is the international guide for marketing supplements.

• The present step by the government can act like a double-edged sword as it has both its advantages and disadvantages:

• The advantages of this step includes:

1. Heightened scrutiny will reduce the malpractice of Counterfeit and Spurious Drugs.

2. Improved guidelines on consumption, thereby supporting the concept of Quaternary prevention.

• The disadvantages include:

1. Increased Pricing

2. India’s nutraceutical market is booming, estimated at 4-5 billion USD. 

• An estimated 71% of Indian households proactively consume nutritional supplements. 

• Increased scrutiny and restricted access will subsequently affect the growing Nutraceutical Market in India.

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