Mumbai: The Indian Drug Manufacturers’ Association (IDMA) said nutraceuticals must remain OTC products to improve their accessibility to consumers and support preventive healthcare in the country.
At the Nutravision@2047 symposium held in Mumbai on Friday, the national body maintained that nutraceuticals are fundamentally different from pharmaceutical drugs in their purpose, regulatory framework, and intended use.
“While medicines are designed to diagnose, treat, mitigate, or cure diseases, nutraceuticals support normal physiological functions, bridge nutrition gaps, and promote overall wellness,” IDMA said in a press release.
It added that “unnecessary regulatory overlaps between food and drug frameworks could restrict consumer access, impede innovation, besides hamper exports and undermine India’s preventive healthcare objectives.”
The national body advocated for a “science-based, risk-proportionate, and globally harmonised regulatory ecosystem instead, which encourages innovation while ensuring consumer safety and product quality.”
The symposium was inaugurated by Avinash Joshi, Secretary, Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) and attended by various policymakers, regulators, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical companies.
The discussions were tied to the broader Viksit Bharat 2047 vision, with participants noting India’s potential to become a global hub for nutraceutical manufacturing and exports, citing its biodiversity of over 1,700 plant species, traditional knowledge base and existing pharmaceutical infrastructure.
