CDSCO signs an MOU with UK’s health regulatory agency

UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the Indian Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) have recently signed an MOU to increase collaboration in the areas of medicine and medical devices.

As a part of this new agreement, due consideration has been given to exchange of useful information and opportunities for technical cooperation, assistance for better equipment, for the welfare of public at large. It will help achieve a better technical know-how, provide better accessibility to new medical devices for the sole benefit of better healthcare services to people.

The central understandings of the agreement include promotion of each other's regulatory frameworks, requirements and processes. CDSCO is a part of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of India, and is considered to be a counterpart of MHRA in India.

"The MoU is going to create a new platform where patients will be given utmost importance. Quality medicine, affordability and transparency will be the tools for making medicines available to the people of the two nations," Drugs Controller General India, Dr Gyanendra Nath Singh said.

"We operate in a global environment and agreements such as these serve to further strengthen our ability to promote good practises and we look forward to working even closer with our Indian counterparts," MHRA Chairman, Professor Michael Rawlins said.

In 2014, MHRA had carried out more 550 inspections in the UK and 125 in non-EU countries, 49 of which were in India. The India Brand Equity Foundation states that the Indian pharma sector accounts for about 2.4 per cent of the global pharma industry and is the third