International Relations
Afghanistan First Country to Recognise Indian Pharmacopoeia
- 21 Dec 2019
- 2 min read
Why in News
The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan has formally recognised the Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP).
- It is a reputable book of standards for drugs. Now it will be used in Afghanistan to ensure quality of health products.
Indian Pharmacopoeia
- It is an officially recognized book of standards as per the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Rules 1945 thereunder.
- As per the Second Schedule of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, IP is designated as the official book of standards for drugs imported and/or manufactured for sale, stock or exhibition for sale or distribution in India.
- It specifies the standards of drugs manufactured and marketed in India in terms of their identity, purity and strength.
- Standards prescribed in the IP are authoritative in nature and are enforced by the regulatory authorities for quality control of medicines in India.
- It is being published as an official document for improving quality of medicines by way of adding new and updating existing monographs by the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission.
Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission
- It is an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare which is responsible to set standards of drugs in the country.
- It promotes public and animal health in India by bringing out authoritative and officially accepted standards for quality of drugs including active pharmaceutical ingredients, excipients and dosage forms, used by health professionals, patients and consumers.
- It also develops IP Reference Substances (IPRS) that act as fingerprints for identification of an article under test and its purity as prescribed in the IP monographs.
The Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940
- It is an act of Parliament which regulates the import, manufacturing and distribution of drugs in India.
- Its objective is to ensure that the drugs and cosmetics sold in India are safe, effective and fulfils the safety standards and parameters.
