According to the order dated 28 May, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has made some amendments to the export policy of paracetamol active pharmaceutical ingredient (API). The notification states, “The notification dated 3 March 2020 is further amended to remove the restriction on the export of paracetamol APIs, making it’s export ‘free’ with immediate effect.”
The restrictions on API were first implemented on 3 March due to the Covid-19 outbreak, and lockdown affected the Wuhan region, from where the ingredients were mostly imported.
Paracetamol was among 13 APIs, and their formulations were restricted for export in March to meet domestic demand. On 17 April 2020, DGFT lifted restrictions on the export of formulation made of paracetamol and fixed-dose combinations (FDCs) containing paracetamol. The authorities decided following the representations received from the Indian Drug Manufacturers’ Association (IDMA) and other industry bodies. However, restriction on the export of paracetamol API continued till 28 May 2020.
