The meeting of the Drug Technical Advisory Board (DTAB), the first one after the present Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) Dr G N Singh took over a few months ago, will be held on July 24 with a slew of issues on the platter for discussion.
The meeting, which was earlier planned to be held sometime in June, was postponed to July 24 as some members expressed inability to attend it due to pre-occupied assignments. The final agenda for the meeting was still being worked out, Dr Singh informed.
The highest-decision making body on the technical matters related to drugs is expected to set tone for a slew of reforms being planned in the regulatory sector, apart from taking up some of the key pending issues in the sector. Some of the issues on the hand are amendment to Drugs and Cosmetic Act, Schedule D and the Fixed Dose Combinations issue.
The DTAB, which was reconstituted one year back, is meeting after a long gap. The last meeting was held in October. The present meeting is expected to be crucial as it is the first meeting under Dr Singh, who is widely expected to be regularized as the DCGI very soon.
Dr Singh who has reiterated the mission of the CDSCO to safeguard and enhance the public health by assuring safety, efficacy and quality of drugs, cosmetics and medical devices, is planning to push a slew of reforms in the sector. The DTAB meeting will be first platform for discussing these reforms.
There are 18 members DTAB with a term of three years. Apart from Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) and the Director General of Health Services, other members include director of Central Drug Laboratory (Kolkatta) Dr P K Guha; director of Central Research Institute (CRI), Kasauli; director of Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Bareilly; president of Medical Council of India (MCI); president of Pharmacy Council of India (PCI); and director of Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), Lucknow.