As planned by the government to have more drug testing laboratories in the country to strengthen the drug regulatory system, Indore will soon have a Central Drug Testing Laboratories (CDTL) at AB road Indore. Approximately Rs.20 crore will be invested in setting up the CDTL Indore building and nearly Rs.7 crore will be invested in the instrument.

The CDTL – Indore will be functioning under the authority of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) west zone, which is helping CDTL Indore in terms of design and regulation. The building will have drug testing labs and a zonal office of CDSCO.

An official informed that the Central Public Work Department (CPWD) has been assigned for the construction of the building and the department has submitted their proposal to the ministry, awaiting the nod from the ministry to start the construction. The building is said to be completed in the 12th Five Year Plan (2012 – 2017).

The upcoming CDTL Indore is a part of the government's plan announced at Iphex 2014 to have 10 laboratories in the country to meet the global standards. At Iphex 2014 it was informed that to strengthen the drug regulatory system, the government will invest Rs.3,000 crore in the 12th Five Year Plan and will provide Rs.1,800 crore to strengthen the CDSCO and the remaining Rs.1,200 crore will be for strengthening the states laboratories.

The CDTL is national statutory laboratory of the government of India for quality control of drugs and cosmetics under the administrative control of the DCGI, Director-General of Health Services in the Union ministry of health.

At present there is CDTL Mumbai, CDTL Kolkata, CDTL Chennai and CDTL Hyderabad. Regional Drugs Testing Laboratory (RDTL) Guwahati was set up in the year 2002 for entire North Eastern State including Sikkim; RDTL Chandigarh and CDTL at CRI Kasauli is engaged in the testing of vaccines.