Karnataka hospitals to follow central narcotics regulations

Bengaluru: The state health department in Karnataka has announced new regulations for essential narcotic drugs (ENDs). This includes drugs like morphine and fentanyl. From now on, these drugs will be controlled by the Central Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Rules. This replaces the previous Karnataka rules. This change follows a 2014 amendment to the NDPS Act. The amendment gave the central government full authority over ENDs. The goal is to make it easier for patients, especially those with severe pain due to cancer or other terminal illnesses, to access these important pain-relief medications. Under the new guidelines, hospitals and medical institutions will not need state-level permits to stock these drugs. Instead, they must register as recognized medical institutions (RMIs) with the state drug controller. Once registered, they can obtain and distribute ENDs without having to get licenses repeatedly. However, other narcotic drugs will still be regulated under Karnataka's state rules. The new system aims to simplify access to pain management drugs while ensuring strong oversight to prevent misuse. Institutions will need to keep proper records and submit reports regularly to follow the rules.