Although the proposal for setting up an autonomous Pharmacopoeia Commission in India, in the similar line of British, had been cleared by the Union Ministry of Health a year ago, the government is still undecided on the utilization of fund, which was earmarked for the proposal.

The health ministry had earlier allocated Rs 13 crore for the project from the Rs 100 crore World Bank aid granted for the purpose of upgradation and modernization of drug regulatory and quality control system in the country.

As the fund utilization decision is held up now, according to informed sources, the formation of the fully autonomous IP Commission is still hanging. However, the sources informed that the ministry is proposing to convene a meeting with the IP Committee members and the senior drug regulatory officials on April 27, to discuss the status of the proposal.

Though the Union health ministry had formally approved the proposal more than six months ago, no effective steps have been taken so far to facilitate establishment of this body by ministry officials, said the sources.

It may be recalled that though the MoH was earlier reluctant to grant independent status to the Commission, the secretary, Union Ministry of Health, in a meeting on September 26, 2003, with the senior members in the IP Committee, has informed that their proposal has been accepted in its totality and a Rs 13 crore World Bank funding will be made available to the setting up of the Commission and also to upgrade the Central Indian Pharmacopoeia Laboratory at Ghaziabad.

The Commission, which was expected to start functioning before the end of 2003, had also worked out a three-tier administration structure with a permanent Governing Board and a chief executive officer (CEO) to look after the direct functions.