Union Health Ministry invites public comments on revised draft National Pharmacy Commission Bill, 2026

📌 Summary:

• The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare released a revised draft National Pharmacy Commission (NPC) Bill, 2026 and invited public/stakeholder comments until 31 July 2026
• The Bill proposes to set up a National Pharmacy Commission and to repeal the Pharmacy Act, 1948
• The revision follows examination of comments received during an earlier public consultation
• Comments may be submitted by email or post to the Under Secretary (AHS), MoHFW

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS2 – Governance and regulation of the health/pharmacy sector; replacing a colonial-era regulator (the Pharmacy Council of India under the Pharmacy Act, 1948) with a modern commission, paralleling the NMC that replaced the MCI.

📝 Prelims Facts:

• Proposed body: National Pharmacy Commission (NPC)
• Bill repeals: the Pharmacy Act, 1948
• Public-comment deadline: 31 July 2026

🔑 Key Term: National Pharmacy Commission – a proposed statutory regulator for pharmacy education and practice, intended to replace the Pharmacy Council of India constituted under the Pharmacy Act, 1948.