Regulatory status record
Is lindane banned in India?
Last checked 8 October 2026
Lindane is not banned in India as of 8 Oct 2026; the Drugs Technical Advisory Board recommended prohibiting its manufacture, sale and import at its 94th meeting on 27 Aug 2026, reversing its 2025 view, but no Section 26A notification has been issued.
- Classification
- Under examination by the regulator or an expert committee
- Decided by
- Drugs Technical Advisory Board; Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (to notify)
- Reference
- Minutes of the 94th DTAB meeting, 27 Aug 2026 (released 16 Sep 2026), additional agenda S-1; no S.O. yet
- Latest action
- 27 August 2026
- Last checked
- 8 October 2026
Photo: pharmacy-jars by unknown (CC0). All photo credits.
Minutes of the 94th DTAB meeting, 27 Aug 2026
Scope. A record here does not by itself mean a product or company is unsafe or banned today. Regulatory actions can apply to one batch, one formulation, one period or one state. Always check the linked government document for the current position, and tell us if something is out of date. How we label records.
Below: Blacklisted's explanationWe organise and explain what the document says. The document above is the authority.
Key facts
- Recommendation
- Prohibit manufacture, sale and import (94th DTAB, 27 Aug 2026)
- Earlier view
- 92nd DTAB (April 2025) had decided to keep it on the market
- Reasons given
- US FDA discontinuation of lindane products, absence from Australia's TGA register, and safer alternatives available in India
- In force?
- No. A Section 26A notification in the Gazette is needed
- Lab alerts
- Gamma benzene hexachloride lotion batches appear in CDSCO's 2026 NSQ alerts
Lindane, sold in India as gamma benzene hexachloride (GBH) lotion and shampoo for scabies and head lice, is on its way to being banned but is not banned yet. At its 94th meeting on 27 Aug 2026 the Drugs Technical Advisory Board recommended prohibiting its manufacture, sale and import. The minutes, released on 16 Sep 2026, cite the US FDA's discontinuation of lindane products, its absence from Australia's register of therapeutic goods, and the availability of alternatives in India.
The recommendation reverses the board's own position of April 2025, when it decided to keep the drug on the market. A ban takes effect only when the Health Ministry issues a notification under Section 26A of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, and none had been published as of 8 Oct 2026. This page will record the notification when it appears.
Lindane is an organochlorine that can cause seizures and other nervous-system effects, particularly in infants, children, older people and anyone who uses too much or applies it to broken skin. Many countries restrict it to second-line use or have withdrawn it.
What this means for you
You can still buy it, for now
Until a ban is notified, lindane lotions remain legal on prescription. Ask your doctor about alternatives such as permethrin if you are prescribed it.
Why regulators are wary
Lindane can affect the nervous system, especially in children, the elderly and people who apply too much or on broken skin.
This is a record of official orders, not medical advice. Do not stop a prescribed medicine without asking your doctor or pharmacist.
Common questions
Is lindane lotion banned in India?
Not yet. The drug advisory board recommended a ban in August 2026, but the government has not notified one.
Entries on the banned drugs list
| Drug / combination | Action | Notification | Date | Status note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gamma Benzene Hexachloride + Benzocaine | Banned | S.O. 3315(E) | 2 August 2024 | Prohibited under s.26A; notifications dated 02.08.2024, gazetted 21-22 Aug 2024. |
Batches declared Not of Standard Quality
Batches of products containing Lindane flagged in CDSCO monthly alerts. An NSQ result concerns one batch, not the molecule or the brand.
| Product | Batch | Manufacturer | Reason declared NSQ | Tested by | Alert |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gamma Benzene Hexachloride Lotion USP | 6P46Mfg 2026-04 · Exp 2028-03 | Yacca Lifesciences Pvt LtdUttarakhand | The Cited Product is official in IP Which it is Printed USP an the label of the cited product.Labelling | SDTL, PunjabState lab | Jun 2026 |
| Gamma Benzene Hexachloride Lotion USP | 6P48Mfg 2026-04 · Exp 2028-03 | Yacca Lifesciences Pvt LtdUttarakhand | The Product is official in I.P but is mentioned as USP on the labelLabelling | SDTL, PunjabState lab | Jun 2026 |
| Gamma Benzene Hexachloride Lotion USP | 6P45Mfg 2026-04 · Exp 2028-03 | Yacca Lifesciences Pvt LtdUttarakhand | The Cited Product is official in I.P Which it is Printed USP an the label of the cited product.Labelling | SDTL, PunjabState lab | Jun 2026 |
| Gamma Benzene Hexachloride Lotion USP | 6P47Mfg 2026-04 · Exp 2028-03 | Yacca Lifesciences Pvt LtdUttarakhand | The Cited Product is official in I.P Which it is Printed as USP on the label of the cited product.Labelling | SDTL, PunjabState lab | Jun 2026 |
| Gamma Benzene Hexachloride Lotion USP | H-516Mfg 2025-09 · Exp 2027-08 | Cotec Healthcare Pvt. LtdUttarakhand | ContentOther | DTL, Chennai-06State lab | Jun 2026 |
| Gamma Benzene Hexachloride Lotion USP | H-378Mfg 2025-06 · Exp 2027-05 | Cotec Healthcare Pvt. LtdUttarakhand | ContentOther | DTL,ChennaiState lab | Mar 2026 |
| Lindane Lotion USP 1% | LNE-1020Mfg 2025-08 · Exp 2027-07 | Wings Biotech LLPHimachal Pradesh | The above product is official in IP 2022 (Addendum 2024 W.e.f july 2024) but it is claimed as USP as on Manufacturing date.Other | SDTL, PunjabState lab | Oct 2025 |
Official sources and primary records
- Minutes of the 94th DTAB meeting, 27 Aug 2026RegulatorCDSCO · 16 September 2026
- Government drug panel recommends ban on lindane, medicine used for scabies and lice infestationsNewsThe South First · 18 September 2026