The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) is currently undergoing several transformations to upgrade the regulatory systems for medical devices, drugs, in vitro diagnostics and cosmetic approval processes. The registration process is done with New Delhi as the Head Quarters.  By linking the different offices with e-governance the CDSCO would improve the efficiency of the systems. This project has received a sanction of US$ 150 billion for the networking and other processes involved in it, informed Dr. G N Singh, Drug Controller General of India (DCGI).

The first phase in this set-up would be to understand the current e-governance followed by various states. Based on this audit, a central system would be developed and used to integrate all states into an umbrella system. Meetings with heads of SLAs from Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Orissa etc have been initated for this process. ”We are very keen to go ahead with this project at the earliest as it will not only strengthen our system but will also empower the citizens with power to get precise and prompt information from us,” pointed out Dr Singh.

To learn more about the process of regulatory approvals for the CDSCO you could visit our article Step by Step Process of Registration. Additionally, the CDSCO has expanded the list of notification devices to spinal needles, cochlear implants, annuloplasty rings, trachestomy tubes, syringes and needle, dental implants, surgical sealants, heart valves, cardiac stents, orthopedic implants, endotracheal tubes, and catheters, among others. The new e-governance systems will play a role in improving the turnaround time for these products.