The Central government has decided to amend Drugs and Cosmetics Rules to incorporate one more type of surgical gauze and bandage in Schedule F (II) of the D & C Rules. The addition is intended at avoiding the hardships to the manufacturers and consumers in the absence of various standards for such items in the rules.

The existing standards for bandage cloth and absorbent gauze will be called as Type A and the proposed incorporation to another type will be called as Type B.

The government decision is in response to the representation made by the Surgical Dressing Manufacturers Association, Chattrapati, Tamil Nadu. Based on the representation, the drugs consultative committee had constituted a sub-committee to look into the matter.

The committee found that the absence of different types of surgical gauze and bandage was causing hardships to the manufacturers and consumers. The committee also received an assurance of its quality from the Tamilnadu Medical Corporation.

TMC, which supply to government institutions, is already procuring different standards of surgical gauze and bandage which is user friendly and less costly that the product manufactured as per the standards prescribed in Schedule F(II).

The TMC representative explained that they are purchasing for the last 7 years, 40s x 40s count of surgical bandage as well as gauze. He also gave the view that there is no complaint on the product purchased by them from the hospitals.

The centre's decision was based on this submission.