Centre to deregulate household antiseptic sales
Currently, only retail sales of household antiseptics bought from licensed wholesalers are exempt from licensing, two officials and documents reviewed by the Mint said.
Household liquid antiseptics are those used for cleaning wounds or sanitizing surfaces at home such as Dettol and Savlon.
Also read | India restricts sale of TB drugs to government channels to curb resistance
This proposed change, supported by the Drugs Consultative Committee (DCC), aims to make hygiene products both more affordable and easier for consumers to access. It will also benefit companies that produce and sell liquid antiseptics, which are frequently used in homes for first aid on living tissues and have historically faced stricter regulations.
The move comes in the backdrop of the Centre's plan to allow non-prescription drugs sales at neighbourhood stores.
Matter discussed
A discussion on this matter took place at the 66th meeting of the Drugs Consultative Committee (DCC) held last month chaired by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI).
Currently, there's a difference in how antiseptics and disinfectants are treated. While disinfectants, typically used for general cleaning purposes, are usually exempt from requiring special sales licenses, antiseptics, which are specifically designed for application to living tissues, have always been more regulated.
Also read | Centre asks states to tackle over-the-counter sale of prescription drugs
'This issue is in consideration from 2022 to make household liquid antiseptics easier to buy. They were allowed to be sold without a special retail license, as long as they were purchased from a licensed wholesaler or manufacturer. Now, the industry is pushing even further, asking to remove the need for a wholesale license altogether for these products," said the official familiar with the matter.
A meeting was also held in May 2025 with the pharmaceutical companies and associations to take this matter forward.
Clearer approach
The official said that the government has suggested a clearer approach, i.e. divide antiseptics into two main groups. One group would be "household/daily use" antiseptics, and the other would be "hospital grade" antiseptics.
'The idea is that the stronger, hospital-grade versions would still only be sold in licensed medical stores. But, everyday household antiseptics could be sold in regular shops, much like other common household items," the official added, adding that the matter will be taken up by the Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB), a key advisory body.
'A draft rule was even prepared to change the existing regulations. However, the ministry recommended getting more input from various interested parties and discussing it further," a second official aware of the matter said.
Also read | Govt doctors told to give suggestions on over-the-counter drugs in 3 months
'The DTAB will now consider all these points and make its recommendations on the matter. If approved, this could mean that picking up a bottle of household antiseptic might become as straightforward as buying other daily necessities from your local store," the official added.
Krishna Khatwani, Head of Sales (India), Godrej Consumer Products Ltd said that dedicated antiseptic brands may benefit from increased distribution following deregulation.
Queries sent to the health ministry spokesperson, DCGI, and antiseptic makers ITC, Reckitt, Apollo Pharmacy and HUL remained unanswered.
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