Govt sets up committee to prepare National Drugs Database

New Delhi: In an efforts to ensure the quality and efficacy of medications and uniform administration of drug regulation, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, has formed a seven-member panel to produce a thorough "National Drugs Database" of drug formulations manufactured and marketed in the country.

Regarding the aforementioned, India's drug controller general, VG Somani has released an office memorandum dated October 27 ,titled "Constitution of a Committee for the Development of the National Drugs Database", highlighting the importance of a comprehensive database of drug formulations manufactured and marketed in the country.

It further added that the National Drugs Database 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 regulatory system, etc.

In order to have such a comprehensive "National Drugs Database", a committee of seven members has been constituted. The committee will be led by India's joint pharmaceutical controller, AK Pradhan.

The panel is comprising following members:

 i. Dr. HG Koshia, Commissioner, Food and Drugs Control Administration, Gujarat;

ii. AK Pradhan, Joint Drugs Controller, CDSCO;

iii. Dr. Pooja Gupta, Additional Professor, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi;

iv. Dr. Jerian Jose, Scientist D, Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi;

v. Dr. Gahane, Joint Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration, Maharashtra;

vi. BT Khanapure, State Drugs Controller, Karnataka;

vii. Navneet Marwaha, State Drugs Controller, Himachal Pradesh.

Furthermore, the office memorandum added that the committee will examine the existing database available with various Authorities like States/U.T. Drug Control Departments, Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), various manufacturer/ marketers/ importers.

In addition to this, panel's task will be to prepare recommendations and generate a comprehensive database of drug formulations manufactured and marketed in the country, providing detailed information on a drug, its dosage form, strength, and details of the manufacturer, marketer, or importer of the drug.

"The Committee may co-opt any other expert, as deemed necessary." the memorandum added.