The long-standing demand of the biotech industry to have a Biotech Authority to facilitate 'single window' clearance is unlikely to find favour with the union ministry of Science and Technology. The ministry prefers 'an integrated system' rather than a single authority.

In the words of Kapil Sibal, minister of Science and Technology, "There is no need for single window clearance. What we need is an integrated approach of clearance. The process must be quick, integrated, and manned by people who know what they are doing." The National Biotech Policy that is in the making is to address all these issues.

As pharmabiz reported earlier, the ministry is in the process of collecting expert opinions with regard to different sectors of biotechnology before preparing an all-encompassing vision document for the biotech sector. The ministry has organised brain storming sessions on diagnostics, nanotechnology, bioinformatics, environment, plant-based medicines, biotech education etc and has also asked expert groups and sub-groups to submit their reports to be incorporated in the national policy. There has been a dozen such meetings and various committees formed with experts from industry, academia and government. The recommendations of these expert groups are to give an idea about what the government has to do the next 10 years. The policy will clearly talk about the government's priorities and how it plans to invest its energies and resources in the next decade for the benefit of the industry.

The committee is also to recommend changes and improvements in the present regulatory structure for a more "integrated" and "effective" approach in regulatory clearances. The government has also formed an expert committee headed by Dr. M K Bhan, secretary DBT to oversee the matter.