The Health Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad has constituted a committee to examine the drug approval procedures in the country. The three member expert committee includes Secretary of Indian Council of Medical Research, Dr. V M Katoch and President of National Brain Research Centre, Dr.P.N Tandon. The Committee has been asked to examine the validity of the scientific and statutory basis adopted for approval of new drugs without clinical trial.

It will also outline appropriate measures to bring about systemic improvements in the processing and grant of statutory approvals. The committee will suggest steps to instituteonalise improvements in other procedural aspects of functioning of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization, CDSCO. It will submit its report in two months.

The move follows the report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the functioning of the, CDSCO. The report has pointed out certain irregularities particularly in the area of approval of new drugs without clinical trials.