After Row Over Indian Drugs, Health Minister Mandaviya Stresses On Ensuring Highest Quality Of Meds

Mandaviya stated that India's goal is to be recognised as the world's most reputable and respected drug regulator.

Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare Mansukh Mandaviya

Source : PTI

New Delhi: Union Minister of Health and Chemicals & Fertilizers Mansukh Mandaviya stressed the critical importance of ensuring that the nation's drug regulatory mechanisms are of the highest standards, reported news agency PTI. The minister was speaking at the two-day Chintan Shivir on "Drugs: Quality Regulations & Enforcement" in Hyderabad on Sunday.

The Chintan Shivir is organised by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) in collaboration with the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP), bringing together drug controllers from all states and UTs, industry associations, and other stakeholders. on the same platform.

Mandaviya stated that India's goal is to be recognised as the world's most reputable and respected drug regulator.

The conclave also included drug regulators and health secretaries from various states and union territories.

"It is of vital importance to ensure that medicines and medical products produced in India are of the highest quality for both domestic and export markets. Within the federal democratic structure of the country, both the Centre and states are required to work together in harmony and synergy to ensure that we establish robust regulatory systems," Mandaviya said.

He also said that the conclave's deep dive sessions gave all parties a chance to talk about different aspects of making a drug regulatory system that is strong, flexible, transparent, accountable, and friendly to citizens.

He added that this framework will not only guarantee quality but also make it simple for the nation to have the best drugs and medical devices.

"The intense deliberations during the two days provided an opportunity to all the participants to work with a team spirit to deliberate on the building blocks of such a forward-looking, inclusive, holistic and comprehensive regulatory framework that would set the vision and meet the requirements of the next 25 years on the three levels of policy, priorities and implementation," the minister said.

"Our vision is to be known as the world's most respected and recognised drugs regulator. This can only happen when we move from generic to quality-generic drugs and medical devices production in the country," he said.

He stated that "quality by design" ought to serve as the motto for drug regulatory systems and that they ought to meet the requirements for research and development, innovation, organizational strengthening, and capacity enhancement.

Through principles of uniform standards, the conclave's discussions focused on how to make the nation's drug regulatory systems transparent, predictable, and verifiable. According to a statement released by the Union health ministry, it was also discussed how technology can serve as a facilitator and enabler for uniformity, transparency, and accountability.

It also mentioned the requirement for a uniform portal with a national database and integrated legacy systems. 

The World Health Organization announced on October 5 that four cough syrups exported by an Indian company called Maiden Pharmaceuticals were responsible for the deaths of 70 children in The Gambia.

The four cough syrups produced by Maiden Pharmaceuticals were found to contain diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol, both of which are known to be potentially fatal substances, according to a report from the Gambian government's parliamentary inquiry as well as an investigation conducted by the World Health Organisation.

Twelve children in Jammu died three years ago after being given diethylene glycol-contaminated cough syrup.