Reiterating his commitment to ensure best healthcare services to the patients, Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) Dr GN Singh has stressed that Indian drug regulators have always maintained a strict vigil in ensuring quality of the drugs that are manufactured throughout the country.  Dr Singh strongly defended that there have been no lapse or compromise on quality parameters from the Indian drug regulators as efficacy of the drugs and safety of the patients have always remained to be the top priority.

Rubbishing claims levelled by media expressing growing concern among overseas regulators over the quality of Indian made drugs, Dr Singh pointed out that Indian drug regulatory norms are amongst one of the stringent regulatory norms followed across the globe. Which again is painstakingly implemented through professional expertise leaving no place for error because it is the life of the patients at risk.

He confirmed, “India is committed to provide high quality affordable medicines to not only scores of Indian population but also to humanity world-wide. We are exporting to over 200 plus countries which is a huge responsibility considering that lives of all this people are depended on us, it also shows the huge contribution we make to provide better healthcare services globally. Our commitment for safe and effective healthcare is so strong that India is the first country in Asia and other developing nations to have a dedicated hemovigilance program within the Pharmacovigilance Programme of India (PvPI).”

Dr Singh further added that to represent these developments and clarify the fact among the international community, he will be attending the international drug regulators meet that is going to be held in Brazil in August this year. Through the International Conference of Drug Regulatory Authorities (ICDRAs) he will be highlighting the country's commitment to protect the life and health of the patients globally while strongly advocating that quality of the products manufactured in India are of best in the world.

Informing about the other pro-active measures taken by the CDSCO, Dr Singh who is also the secretary-cum-scientific director of the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) said that the Centre is working towards streamlining the functions within the drug regulatory system by adopting various e-governance initiatives. Not divulging much about the same, he hinted that they are in the last leg of adopting a systematic programme that will play an instrumental role in detecting and addressing issues on a fast track basis. While at the same time, he added that few capacity building measures are also taking place simultaneously.