The country’s apex health regulatory agency, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), has decided to regulate the entry of visitors into its premises, calling itself a “sensitive office”.
According to an internal circular issued on September 27 and accessed by News18, no one will be allowed inside the FDA Bhawan — the New Delhi-based headquarters at Kotla Road, ITO — without a valid ‘e-pass’. The circular also bars “unnecessarily roaming around” as applicable from “immediate effect”.
The move majorly regulates the entry of officials from pharmaceutical companies, medical devices and cosmetic makers, vaccine makers and media officials.
CDSCO is responsible for several functions, including the approval of drugs, vaccines, cosmetics and medical devices. It also approves the conduct of clinical trials along with laying down standards, controls the quality of imported medical products in the country and coordinates the activities of state drug control organisations along with bringing the enforcement of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.
“As CDSCO is quite a sensitive office, the entry of visitors needs to be regulated properly,” said a circular issued by the administration cell of the agency which falls under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The office has now mandated the creation of records of all visitors coming to meet CDSCO officers.
“It is necessary that the record of all visitors coming to meet with senior officers is duly regulated through e-visitors pass,” said the circular, adding that “no one should be allowed to enter the office without having an e-visitor pass and roam around in the complex unnecessarily”.
The circular, which is marked to all officers and staffers of CDSCO, concludes by adding that “all concerned may ensure compliance with these instructions with immediate effect”.