India's network of drug testing labs, which includes 8 central labs, 38 state regulator labs, and 8 mini labs at key ports for rapid import testing, ensures the annual testing of over 100,000 samples, reinforces the country's commitment to public health and regulatory excellence, Union Health Minister J P Nadda said on Monday.
The Union Health Minister who inaugurated the five-day 19th International Conference of Drug Regulatory Authorities organised by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), said collaboration across borders, sectors and disciplines is essential for creating lasting health solutions.
He underlined India's commitment to meeting the increasing demand for pharma products while adhering to global quality standards.
The event is being hosted for the first time in India by the CDSCO, Union Health Ministry in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), brings together regulatory authorities, policymakers, and health officials from over 194 WHO member states.
Nadda also pointed out that in order to make drug supply chain robust, it has been made mandatory to provide bar code or quick response code (QR Code) on top 300 brands of drug products.
Similarly, QR code is mandatory on all API packs, either being imported or manufactured in India.
Noting that India emerged not only as a global leader in health resilience and innovation but also reaffirmed its role as the pharmacy of the world during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Minister said the country rapidly expanded its healthcare infrastructure and scaled
"The successful roll out of the COVID-19 vaccination programme covering over a billion people is a testament to the robustness of our healthcare system and the dedication of our healthcare workers and soundness of our policies," Nadda stated.
"Guided by the principle of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam', we extend our support to more than 150 countries providing life saving drugs and vaccines during the pandemic. This spirit of international solidarity is the heart of India's approach to global health," he said.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO, who virtually joined the conference, commended India for hosting this crucial global regulatory forum and highlighted the importance of global cooperation in drug regulation, particularly in light of challenges such as antimicrobial resistance, the post-pandemic world, and the safe use of AI in healthcare.
