The NITI Aayog has recommended that Indian standards of drug regulation should be on par with global standards as well as aligned with the International Council for Harmonisation guidelines while promoting ease of doing business.
The apex public policy think tank of the central government also suggested creating a separate authority to regulate medical devices in the country which is currently being monitored by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI).
The recommendations have been made during the ongoing inter ministerial consultation on the New Drugs, Medical Devices and Cosmetics Bill, 2023.
The draft New Drugs, Medical Devices and Cosmetics Bill, 2023, which seeks to replace the existing Drugs and Cosmetics Act of 1940, was put up on public domain in July last year seeking feedback from stakeholders. It has been revised and sent for inter-ministerial consultation.
On clinical trials, the NITI Aayog said the draft bill should reflect the intent of overcoming the hesitancy of the Indian regulation towards global standards viz a viz adoption and alignment with ICH guidelines for clinical trials, timeliness of decisions, promoting access of new therapies/drugs at the earliest to the Indian population and ease of doing business.
