MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
(Department of Health and Family Welfare)
NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the 26th November, 2020
S.O. 4244(E).—Whereas, an outbreak of COVID -19 pandemic is prevailing throughout India and worldwide;
And whereas, several import licences in Form-10 are in existence and their validity periods of three years are likely to expire shortly;
And whereas, pharmaceutical companies and their associations have requested for extension of the validity of import licence (Form-10) for six months in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic;
And whereas, the Central Government is of the considered view that supply of drugs may not get affected and the drugs must remain available to the public;
Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 26B of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 (23 of 1940), the Central Government, hereby directs that notwithstanding anything contained in rule 28 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945, for import of drugs for sale or distribution, if an existing valid import licence holder under the said rules, makes an application for a fresh import licence before the expiry of the existing licence, the existing import licence shall be valid until orders are passed on the application and shall be deemed to be valid for all purposes.
2. This order shall come into force on the date of its publication in the Official Gazette and shall remain valid for a period of six months.
[F.No. X.11014/01/2020-DR]
DR. MANDEEP K BHANDARI, Jt. Secy.
