Proposal for medical devices controller

Context:

Recently, Union Health ministry proposed a separate post for the medical devices controller.

About the News

• The Union Health Ministry has presented a draft of the New Drugs, Medical Devices and Cosmetics Bill, 2023, which seeks to replace the Drugs and Cosmetics Act of 1940.

• Draft proposed the creation of a separate post for a drugs and medical devices controller general in India, under whom a separate wing of officials would operate as regulators for the medical devices sector.
• As of now, medical devices are treated as drugs and there is no separate definition for those.
  • Currently, manufacturing activities relating to drugs and cosmetics are regulated by only the state governments through their drug control organizations.
• Medical devices officers independent of drug control officers and creation of medical devices testing laboratories and the appointment of medical devices testing officers.

News Source: BS