Government extends Schedule M implementation deadline till year-end for small, medium pharma firms

The federal government on Wednesday prolonged the due date for implementation of revised Schedule M — good manufacturing practices provision, for small and medium pharmaceutical corporations with turnover of Rs 250 crore or much less, until the tip of this 12 months.

The Ministry of Well being & Household Welfare has given three months from February 11, 2025, to the small and medium pharmaceutical corporations to submit their plan for upgradation to the central license approving authority with a purpose to be eligible to qualify for Schedule M deadline extension, the ministry stated in a launch.

The ministry additional stated it has conditionally prolonged the due date for implementation of revised Schedule M, the great manufacturing practices provision, in respect of small and medium producers having turnover of Rs 250 crore or much less, as much as December 31, 2025.

On December 28, 2023, the Centre notified revised ‘Schedule M’ necessities whereby “good manufacturing practices” was upgraded to “good manufacturing practices and necessities of plan and gear for pharmaceutical merchandise”.

Below this, producers had been divided into two teams with the primary class of huge producers having turnover greater than Rs 250 crore. A timeline of six months was given to such producers for compliance and the revised Schedule M necessities have been applied for these producers from June 28, 2024.

For small and medium producers with turnover lower than or equal to Rs 250 crore, a timeline of 12 months was given for compliance.

“Small and medium producers had represented for extension of timeline to allow enchancment in infrastructure, coaching of personnel and arranging monetary assets,” the ministry stated.

It added, “The identical has been thought of and the small and medium producers have been given a time of three months from February 11, 2025, to submit their plan for upgradation in Type A to the Central License Approving Authority. For such producers who submit these particulars, the timeline of implementation can be prolonged until December 31, 2025.” 

The revised Schedule M necessities are a constructive step in the direction of guaranteeing the standard and security of pharmaceutical merchandise being manufactured in India, the ministry stated.

The brand new laws would allow the pharma firms to not solely strengthen their home place but additionally grow to be extra aggressive globally, it added.