New Delhi, Oct 14 (IANS): In a bid to boost transparency of drugs and medical devices, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), has digitised over 95 per cent of its regulatory processes, said Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda on Monday.

Nadda was speaking at the inauguration of the 19th International Conference of Drug Regulatory Authorities (ICDRA), hosted for the first time in India, by the CDSCO, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO).

The event being held from October 14-18 has brought together regulatory authorities, policymakers, and health officials from over 194 countries.

“CDSCO has developed robust systems for approving safe and efficacious drugs and medical devices in the country and for export to more than 200 countries in the world,” Nadda said, adding that availability of quality medicine at affordable prices is at the core of the organisation.

The Union Minister also stated that “more than 95 per cent of regulatory processes currently have been digitised at CDSCO, bringing transparency and increasing trust among stakeholders.”

He informed that eight drug testing labs are operational while two more are in the pipeline.

“Eight mini-testing labs are operational at different ports for quick testing and release of drugs and raw material being imported. In addition, 38 state drug regulator’s testing labs are operational,” Nadda said. The new regulatory surveillance mechanisms are testing over a hundred thousand samples annually, he added.

Further, the health minister noted that the medical device industry in India is also being regulated to be at par with the WHO-GMP guidelines.

He noted that during the unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic, the country “emerged not only as a global leader in health resilience and innovation but also reaffirmed its role as the pharmacy of the world” -- supplying essential medicines, vaccines, and medical kits to more than 150 countries across the globe.

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO, also highlighted the importance of global cooperation in drug regulation, particularly in light of challenges such as antimicrobial resistance, the post-pandemic world, and the safe use of AI in healthcare.