After a gap of six months, the Directorate of Indian System of Medicines (ISM) in Tamil Nadu has started issuing GMP certificates to ISM manufacturing units in the state. The Directorate had discontinued the issuance of GMP certificate from November last year.
Dr P Sarojinidevi, head of the State Drug Licensing Authority (SDLA) said within the last one month, the Directorate has given GMP certifications to three companies and renewal licenses to nine.

Those companies received the certificates are R S Pathy & Co, Madurai, Naturo Herbal Remedies, Salem and Siddha Yoga Pharma, Chennai. The SDLA has given product endorsement licenses to other four firms.

Since last November, SDLA head was not available in the office and the ISM units were in serious trouble. Without a valid and updated approval from the government, the units can not send their products to other states. Apart from this, the situation had also hampered the launching of the 16-crore Ayurvedic Cluster in the state.

An officer, appointed as the first drug licensing authority for Indian Systems, after the formation of a special wing under the Commissionerate of ISM in January 2008, had to leave the office following some investigations by Vigilance and Anti Corruption Bureau.

The present SDLA has taken charge on March 13 this year. "So many applications are pending and most of them need to be studied. There is a big demand for GMP certificates. We are trying to solve all the problems of the manufacturers without delay. But we are facing shortage of staff," Sarojinidevi said.