Giving a major fillip to the long-desired ambition of complete autonomy for the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission, the Union Cabinet has given its approval for merging the Central Indian Pharmacopoeia Laboratory with it for the exclusive use of pharmacopoeia-related tests and other scientific validations.

The Cabinet on March 7 also approved the transfer of staff, assets and liabilities including buildings and all other existing infrastructure belonging to the CIPL, Ghaziabad to the control of IPC and to authorize the IPC to make use of them. Green signal was also given to the creation and filling up of 13 restructured additional posts in the IPC in lieu of 38 vacant posts in CIPL, which would be abolished simultaneously.

The director of CIPL will function as the Secretary-cum-Scientific Director of the IPC and the government has sanctioned filling up of the vacancies. The test protocols of drugs included in IP would get updated regularly by periodic review of Indian Pharmacopoeia.

IP Reference Substances shall be available for use as prescribed in the individual monographs. The centre also approved foreign exchange saving by using IP Reference Substances instead of importing USP/BP/International Pharmacopoeia Chemical Reference Substances. This would facilitate smooth transition from the existing set up into an autonomous structure to pave the way for functioning of the IPC.

This would lead the IPC to function without waiting for actual amalgamation / merger of the CIPL. This would help the IPC to perform the requisite specialized / technical jobs as per established international practices. The enhanced status of the post will raise the IPC in positioning itself with its international counterparts such as the BP and the USP.

It may be noted that the IPC has been seeking autonomy for better work in setting of standards for the pharma industry. Many of the experts have also been pressing for the same in the larger interest of the industry. The new move by the Centre would prove to be a major step towards the final goal of autonomy.