Medicines may soon come with braille labels, audio QR codes

New Delhi: India's drug regulatory authority is considering having braille cards and voice-assisted QR codes on medicine strips to make them patient friendly. The regulatory body has invited public comments for further action.

Earlier, the regulatory body had received representations regarding problems being faced by blind or visually impaired people to read medicines, tablet/capsule strips.

"These special peoples face difficulty to know the name and expiry of the medicines and depend on others therefore, it was requested that a provision under Drugs and Cosmetics Act and Rules to label the drugs with braille inscriptions be inserted," people in the know told ET.


The matter was then deliberated by the Drugs Consultative Committee (DCC) meeting in 2020 which recommended constituting a sub- committee to examine the issue in detail for further consideration.

The sub-committee which was constituted on DCC's recommendation had submitted its report, recommending support in the ease of access of medication to the visually impaired persons, the guideline regarding additional labelling in braille language was proposed to be implemented "initially on voluntary basis" for the drugs, which are supplied in mono carton pack size.

It was also recommended that consideration should be given to medicinal products likely to be used by a high visually impaired target population, e.g. certain eye drop preparations.

It was also advised that the braille labels would not be applicable for the products dispensed or given under supervision of health care professional's e.g. injectable, vaccine etc.