New Delhi, Oct. 19 -- India is set to tighten rules on the sale and distribution of four crucial life-saving medicine categories-vaccines, antimicrobials, narcotic and psychotropic drugs, and anti-cancer drugs-to safeguard public health, according to two government officials aware of the matter and documents reviewed by Mint.

As part of the plan, the government has proposed a major overhaul aimed at securing the pharmaceutical supply chain and protecting patients from counterfeit and substandard medicines.

This revamp involves inserting a new section under Schedule H2 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945, which currently requires certain drug formulations to carry a bar code or quick response (QR) code on their packaging. The move aim...