Mumbai: In a move aimed at reducing medication errors and strengthening patient safety, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has invited public comments on a proposal to regulate the use of brand name extensions by pharmaceutical companies.
The regulator has received representations alleging that some companies market different medicines under the same established brand name with different suffixes or extensions, even though the products contain different active ingredients and are meant for different medical conditions. Such practices, CDSCO said, could confuse doctors, pharmacists and patients, increasing the risk of medication errors.
The issue was discussed at the 6th Drugs Consultative Committee (DCC) meeting on November 17, 2025, where members recommended a wider stakeholder consultation before any policy decision. Accordingly, CDSCO has uploaded the proposal on its website and invited comments from pharmaceutical companies, healthcare professionals, consumer groups and the public by July 17, 2026.
A brand name extension refers to the use of a common brand name with suffixes such as "DSR", "AM", "H", "CV" or "Forte". While these products may appear related, they often contain different active ingredients or drug combinations and are not interchangeable.
If clearer norms are introduced, patients and their families stand to benefit significantly. Elderly patients and those taking multiple medicines for chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension or heart disease often rely on brand names to identify their medicines. Similar-sounding names can result in the wrong medicine being purchased or consumed, leading to treatment failure, adverse drug reactions or duplicate therapy.
Caregivers buying medicines for children or ageing parents would also find prescriptions easier to understand, reducing the chances of dispensing errors. Pharmacists would benefit from greater clarity while dispensing medicines, while doctors could face fewer prescription-related misunderstandings.
Health experts say clearer brand naming practices would improve patient awareness, reduce avoidable medication errors and promote safer use of medicines, while balancing pharmaceutical branding with the primary objective of protecting public health.
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