Context:
Pharmacopoeial Discussion Group (PDG) announced the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) as a PDG member.
About IPC:
- An Autonomous Institution formed in 2009.
- Ministry – Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
- Headquarters – Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh
- Functions –
- Publishes the Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP)
- Regularly updates the standards of drugs imported, manufactured stocked or exhibited for sale or distributed in India.
- Benefits to IPC of joining PDG –
- PDG International Recognition of the standards set by the IPC.
- Enhanced acceptance of Indian pharmaceutical products in global markets.
- Better public health worldwide, as it helps to prevent the circulation of substandard or counterfeit drugs.
What is Indian Pharmacopoeia?
- Pharmacopoeia refers to book/monograph published by a government, or recognised organisation to provide standards of strength and purity for therapeutic drugs.
- In IP standards for drugs are in terms of Second Schedule to the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Rules 1945 thereunder.
Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP) has been recognised by Afghanistan (1st country), Suriname, Ghana, Nepal and, Mauritius.
What are the Schedules in Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940?
- First Schedule: It comprises the list of books of references for Ayurvedic, Siddha and Unani medicines.
- Second Schedule: It comprises of the standards to be complied with for imported drugs, manufacture of drugs, their sale, stocking and storage etc.
About PDG:
- Formed by the US, EU and Japan in 1989.
- World Health Organization joined an observer in 2001.
- It works to harmonize pharmacopeial standards in the member countries/regions.
Harmonization lessens the workload for manufacturers by eliminating the need to conduct analytical procedures in varying methods with different acceptance criteria to meet the differing pharmacopeial requirements in different regions.
Source: PIB
Previous Year Question
With reference to Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), consider the following statements:
1. AIIB has more than 80 member nations.
2. India is the largest shareholder in AIIB.
3. AIIB does not have any members from outside Asia.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2019 Prelims]
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (a)
