The Drug Consultative Committee (DCC) sub-committee on amendment of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act (D&C Act) and Rules headed by Dr B R Jagashetty, Karnataka Drugs Controller, will meet on October 17 and 18 at the drug controllers office in Karnataka to discuss changes to be brought in the Drugs & Cosmetics Act and Rules.

This will be the fourth meeting of the sub-committee which was set up a year back by the government to amend and make necessary changes in the D&C Act and Rules as per the current regulatory requirements and demands of the industry.

According to Dr Hemant G Koshia, commissioner, Gujarat Food & Drugs Control Administration (FDCA) who is also a member of this sub-committee, “From the time this committee has been set up we have been having interaction with various regulatory authorities from across the country to get their suggestions and views on the changes that can be incorporated in the Act. As of now, it will be too soon to comment on the changes that will be made in the Act, but it would be safe to say that soon there will be some strategic decisions made for amending the Act.”

He informed that once the sub-committee passes a referendum  on accepting the changes or omissions it will be passed on to the DCC from where it will be sent to the Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) for their final approval. “Once it gets the green signal from the DTAB, the changes will be notified in the official gazette thus making it an Act. We are working very hard to get some changes to be done with a view to help in better regulation and implementation of the Act & Rules and are hopeful that it will be passed by the top regulatory bodies as well,” Dr Koshia informed.

The sub-committee consists of nine members with Malai Mitra deputy drugs controller CDSCO, New Delhi acting as the convenor. Other members include P K Jaggi, assistant drugs controller, National Capital Territory (NCT), New Delhi; controller drugs & food control organisation, J&K; joint commissioner, food and drugs administration, Maharashtra; drugs controller, Punjab; drugs control administration, Andhra Pradesh and joint drugs controller, Nagaland.