After visiting the four southern states, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health & Family Welfare led by Amar Singh will undertake a study visit to Indore, Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Goa from February 12. During the visit, the committee will interact with the stake holders to get first-hand information on the formation of CDA.

During its study visit to these cities, the committee will interact on Drugs and Cosmetics (Amendment) Bill, 2007 with representatives of small and large drug manufacturers associations, experts, organisations, NGOs, consumer forums, etc. Besides, the committee will also interact on the Clinical Establishment (Registration and Regulation) Bill, 20007 with the stake holders like IMA state branch, state government officials, etc.

The committee's visit to different cities is significant as the formation of CDA has attracted flak from different quarters. Almost all the pharma associations in the country, with the exception of OPPI, have already expressed their reservation on CDA formation. Though these associations and other stake holders have sent their suggestions to the committee in writing, the visit of the committee will be a good opportunity for them to present their case in a better way.

The committee had already visited Bangalore, Thiruvananthapuram, Chennai and Hyderabad. It spent two days each in these cities and met the stake holders. The committee had earlier invited suggestions from pharma associations and other stake holders on formation of CDA.

The Drugs and Cosmetics (Amendment) Bill 2007 was presented in Rajya Sabha on August 21, 2007 and was later referred to the Parliamentary standing committee to examine and put forth its suggestions.

The Bill proposes to make amendments in the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, in order to facilitate the creation of CDA and introduce centralized licensing for manufacture of drugs in pursuance of the recommendations made by the Mashelkar Committee. The central government is planning to get the bill passed in the coming budget session of the Parliament, thus to set up the CDA and begin the process of issuing licences to the manufacturers at the national level.

The Bill, inter alia, provides for substitution of the 'Drugs Technical Advisory Board' as well as the 'Drugs Technical Advisory Board for Ayurvedic, Siddha and Unani Drugs' by the CDA. It also seeks to insert a new Chapter 1A in the Act with a view to providing for the constitution of the Central Drugs Authority and other connected or incidental matters.