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IPA demands setting up of Dept of FDA under health ministry for better implementation of food & drugs laws
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Swati Rana, Mumbai
January 31 , 2015
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The Indian Pharmacist Association (IPA) has asked the Central government
to create a new Department of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under
the ministry of health and family welfare on the lines of Gujarat,
Maharashtra and Goa for better coordination with agencies dealing with
food and drugs laws.
In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi,
IPA president Abhay Kumar said that creation of a separate department
of FDA in appropriate ministry and similar structures should be made
mandatory in all states and Union Territories for uniform implementation
of food and drugs laws throughout the country.
Kumar in his
letter said that at present Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa and recently
Punjab government have created the FDA department with food and drugs
divisions functioning effectively under a senior level secretary.
At
present, the food law is implemented Food Safety and Standards
Authority of India (FSSAI) under the health ministry and drug laws like
D&C Act, DPCO, Pharmacy Act are implemented by different ministries.
He further suggested that the implementation of the food and drugs laws
should be handed over to professionally trained personnel who can
efficiently manage, as there is no dearth of manpower from the food and
drugs sectors.
In the states and Union Territories the food and
drug laws are by and large enforced by directorate of health services
with poor infrastructure and lack of professionally trained enforcement
personnel, results in poor implementation of these laws. In most of the
states even the full time regular drugs inspectors who are the main
instrument for implementation of Drugs and Cosmetic Act 1948 are not
posted and the drugs control department runs on ex-officio staffs.
Further,
he expressed the need to create a new department independent from
health department with inter-sectoral coordination especially with
health, agriculture, veterinary, consumer affairs, fertilizers, chemical
departments/ministries, which can function as an apex body of the food
and drugs authorities under the ministry of health and family welfare or
under appropriate ministry.
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TOPICS
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