CDSCO Proposes One Brand Policy to Prevent Medication Errors

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation has proposed a sweeping regulatory framework centered on the 'One Brand – One Formulation' principle. Issued for public review on July 6, 2026, the draft guidelines seek to eliminate confusing nomenclature practices within the domestic pharmaceutical market.

The initiative aims to prohibit pharmaceutical manufacturers from marketing distinct active pharmaceutical ingredients under identical or deceptively similar brand names. Past regulatory reviews noted that look-alike and sound-alike names frequently contribute to prescription confusion and clinical medication errors.

Drug manufacturers will likely need to restructure their product portfolios and marketing strategies once the draft rules transition into formal mandates, ensuring greater clarity for physicians and retail pharmacists dispensing medications across India.