The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s online WHO GMP certificate generation system, introduced by the FDA around two years ago, has now been upgraded through a robust IT backed system to such a level that the FDA is now able to provide the WHO GMP certificate to the exporters in 10 days.

Besides creating an electronic storage of data for easy retrieval at any time, the new online system developed by the FDA ensures avoiding duplication or counterfeiting of the certificates by assigning a software generated unique authorisation code to each certificate. Among the other unique attributes of the system, the SMS delivery system keeps the manufacturers updated when they are offline and authentication of the certificates can be verified by the authorities very easily.

The new system will go a long way in boosting the exports from the state as this new system will help manufacturing units to get WHO GMP certification for exports in 10 days time as compared to three months in the past.

The manual process was time consuming and entailed scrutiny of the application at three levels by the concerned authorities which once approved was sent by post as a Compliance Letter. This system was followed from 2000 to August 14, 2012.

Earlier, joint commissioner (HQ) was designated for signing the various certificates issued under the WHO GMP certificates. Manufacturers from across the state had to come to Mumbai to apply for the certificates and had to submit a sizeable amount of data in the form of papers. The application thus received was cumbersome as it was first received by the drug inspectors at WHO-GMP section and then by the assistant commissioner, WHO- GMP section followed by the final signatures on the certificates by the joint commissioner (HQ).

There are 1703 manufacturing units in the state out of which 247 units are WHO GMP certified.  Exports of medicines worth Rs.15,500 crore have been accounted from Maharashtra in the year 2013-14. There are 883 allopathic units, 452 ayurvedic units, 31 homoeopathic units and 337 cosmetic product units across the state.