The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has banned the import, manufacture, sale, and distribution of Chloramphenicol and Nitrofurans for use in food-producing animals. This decision, effective immediately, aims to mitigate health risks and promote safer alternatives.
On March 12, 2025, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare issued a notification prohibiting the import, manufacture, sale, and distribution of Chloramphenicol and Nitrofurans for use in food-producing animals. This decision, made under section 26A of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, follows consultations with the Drugs Technical Advisory Board. The ban addresses the potential health risks associated with these drugs and emphasizes the availability of safer alternatives. The prohibition is intended to protect public health by ensuring that food-producing animals are not treated with these potentially harmful drugs.