A comprehenssive program for filing online applications, issunace of licenses, permissions, approvals and no objection certificates and tracking their status, has been initiated by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO). And the task of creating the software system for ensuring it, has been entrusted to the Center for Advanced Computing (CDAC) since December, 2014. The overall objective is to make it simpler and user friendly.

Now as per the CDSCO notification on March 23, 2015, the work on the program is under progress currently. The drug regulator wants industry to participate in the process by nominating their representatives having enough know how about the information technology and the Drug and Cosmetics Act. The pupose of doing that, as per CDSCO, is to develop a system that aims at satisying the requirements of all stakeholders.

It has requested nine major industry associations including OPPI, IDMA, IPA, CII, ASSOCHAM, ACRO, CIPI, FOPE and IPHA  to send their representation for this purpose. Any other industry association can also contribute their suggestions on volutary basis, CDSCO said. 

The much needed e-Governance process will surely help to improve the response time of CDSCO and hopefully address the other concerns of the industry as well.