India appears to be on course to developing a national rare disease policy, with the adoption of a specific definition for rare diseases and the initiation of a rare disease registry in the country.

Top-level personnel movement continues at pharma firms in India, with Cipla now appointing an ex-Amneal executive as its Chief Scientific Officer, while Abbott has effected a rejig at the helm.

New rules in India specify that a marketer of a drug will share the onus for quality and compliance along with the manufacturer. Enhanced punishment for misleading advertisements for a range of illnesses is also proposed, while calls for a statute to regulate pharma's marketing practices grow louder.