New Delhi: At a high-level meeting reviewing the regulations on drugs, cosmetics, and medical devices, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, JP Nadda emphasized the role of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) in ensuring the quality of products. He called for “transparency of procedures” as a key element in achieving global standards.
“For India to match our global reputation of ‘Pharmacy of the World’, we need to have a world-class regulatory framework that matches our scale of operations and international expectations. In order to achieve global standards, our focus needs to be on transparency of procedures at CDSCO and within the drugs and medical devices industry,” Nadda stated.
He further elaborated, “Both the Drugs Regulatory body and the industry should operate on the highest principles of transparency to ensure that the products manufactured and sold by India meet the highest standards. It is important for CDSCO to maintain a continuous dialogue with the drugs and medical devices industry to understand their issues and support them in meeting quality expectations.”
During the review meeting, Nadda was briefed on CDSCO’s mandated activities, achievements, future plans, and the various challenges it faces. He was also updated on the progress of the scheme for strengthening the state drug regulatory system, which was launched in 2016 with a budget of Rs. 850 crores during his earlier tenure.
The health minister also urged CDSCO to develop a roadmap with timelines to achieve global standards in its mandated activities. He stressed that the upscaling should be systems-based, focusing on the highest standards of uniformity, technical upgrades, and a futuristic approach.
Addressing the variations in regulations from state to state, Nadda emphasized the importance of working with states to enhance their skills and encouraging them to align with the quality standards of the Central Government.
Health Secretary Apurva Chandra, Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) Dr. Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, and senior officers of CDSCO and the Union Health Ministry were also present at the high-level review meeting.
