The first Drugs Control Department of Pondicherry came into existence on April 1 with P Rajkumar as the Drugs Controller (HoD). An official Gazette notification in this regard was made a few days ago.

The cabinet decision in respect of the formation of a separate drugs control department was taken in the cabinet meeting held on December 29, 2010, and subsequently it was approved by the governor in the first week of January this year.

It was in April last year that the health ministry of the Pondicherry government took the decision to form a separate department for drugs regulation after bifurcating the Food & Drugs Control Administration. Following it, the health minister of the state, E Valsaraj made a statement in the assembly that an independent department could help revamp and streamline the functions of the drug control administration effectively. Soon steps for the establishment of a new administration were taken and an official from pharmacy section of the FDA was appointed as the controlling authority.

The drugs controller said since his office has now got independent charge, from now on he will report directly to the health secretary. So far the department was under the control of the Director of Health Services.

Till 1989, doctors from medical services were handling the drugs control administration. After the amendment of Drugs & Cosmetics Act in 1989, the post of a controlling authority was not notified in the union territory and the charge was being handled either by the commissioner or by the additional commissioners. To fill this vacuum, in July 2010, the government made the present drugs controller as the controlling authority without mentioning the term ‘drugs controller’, but provided the statutory powers for controlling the entire department. Prior to this appointment, Rajkumar was acting as the state licensing authority.

According to him, the government has sanctioned four more posts of drug inspectors and one post of assistant drug controller. All these appointments will be made soon after the election. Currently the posts of drug inspectors are four, out of which one post in the head office is lying vacant. Two ADC offices will be functioning in Pondicherry from June and one each from Karakkal and Mahe. Proposal for an independent analytical laboratory is also under the consideration of the government.

From 1964, the food and drug control administration was functioning under one Director with separate staff and facilities using same offices in the four regions of the union territory. Even though the bifurcation has been effected already, the office of the drug control department will be functioning in the same premises of the directorate of health services, Rajkumar told Pharmabiz.