Pharma zones planned at air, sea ports: drugs controller
18 May 2009
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation has initiated steps to facilitate the creation of a `Pharma Zone' - a separate dedicated controlled environment for keeping medicines - in all major airports and sea ports.
The `Pharma Zone', to be set up within the cargo premises at airports and sea ports for proper storage of pharmaceutical products, is in line with good manufacturing practices and good distribution practices so as to assure the quality, safety and efficacy of drugs/pharma products meant for import/export, the Office of Drugs Controller General said in a notice.
A presentation giving details of proposals, layouts, rationale for such Pharma zones etc is put forth for comments of all stakeholders, the release said, adding that comments / suggestions of all concerned should reach CDSCO, head quarters by 15 June 2009 for consideration.
The Drugs Controller-General of India, meanwhile, plans to extend its inspection programme to foreign countries and to manufacturing facilities of multinational pharmaceutical companies importing drugs into India.
The move is in line with the processes followed by the drug regulatons followed by other countries.