The UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is linking hands with its counterpart in India in a move designed to boost public safety in both nations.
A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed by the MHRA and India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation, under which the parties plan to increase collaboration on medicines and medical devices and promote each other’s regulatory frameworks, requirements and processes.
It is hoped the move will facilitate the exchange of information and opportunities for technical cooperation of mutual benefit, “helping to ensure the regulators are better equipped to protect the health of their respective publics,” the MHRA noted.
Around 25% of UK medicines are made in India and each batch is tested on importation to ensure it is safe, of good quality and effective. The MHRA also carries out inspections in the country to ensure that regulatory standards are adhered to.
“It’s essential that the commitment to good quality manufacturing comes right down from the top levels of management to those on the factory floor, and throughout the entire industry,” said MHRA Chairman, Sir Michael Rawlins.
“Indian firms already accept and understand this, and the MOU is part of a concerted effort to ensure the UK and wider global public continue to have access to quality and safe medicines”.
The agency already has similar agreements in place with regulators in the US and China.
