n The Union Health Ministry is all set to prepare a comprehensive ‘National Drugs Database’ of drug formulations manufactured and marketed in the country. The aim is to enhance regulatory oversight of medical products to ensure their quality and bring uniformity to drug regulatory mechanisms across the country.
In this regard, the Ministry has set up a seven-member panel comprising Dr HG Koshia, Commissioner, Food and Drugs Control Administration, Gujarat; AK Pradhan, Joint Drugs Controller, CDSCO; Dr Pooja Gupta, Additional Professor, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi; Dr Jerian Jose, Scientist D, Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi; DR Gahane, Joint Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration, Maharashtra; BT Khanapure, State Drugs Controller, Karnataka and Navneet Marwaha, State Drugs Controller, Himachal Pradesh.
Pradhan will be the convener of the panel, said an official from the Ministry. The panel will submit its recommendation including the ‘National Drugs Database’ of the drug formulations in three months to the Ministry. The committee will examine the existing database available with various authorities like state/Union territory drug control departments, Central Drugs Standard Control Organization, various manufacturers, marketers, importers.
Further, the committee will give recommendations and come out with a comprehensive "National Drugs Database" of drug formulations produced and marketed in the country.
The database will provide detailed information on the drug, its dosage form, strength, details of manufacturer, marketer, importer etc. which is crucial for not only empowering consumers but also for improving the monitoring mechanism for quality of drugs in circulation, across the country and uniform administration of the regulatory system, etc.