Rapid Fire
State Health Regulatory Excellence Index
- 16 Aug 2025
- 2 min read
The Union Health Ministry has launched the State Health Regulatory Excellence Index (SHRESTH).
- SHRESTH, developed by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), is a virtual gap assessment tool for states to evaluate their current status and progress toward maturity certification, aiming to ensure drug safety, quality, and efficacy across all states and UTs.
- Key Features of SHRESTH:
- State Classification: States are categorized as Manufacturing States and Primarily Distribution States/UTs.
- Assessment Criteria: The SHRESTH Index evaluates states on aspects like human resources, lab testing capacity, licensing activities, surveillance, and responsiveness to public grievances.
- Monitoring and Accountability: States submit monthly data to the CDSCO, which compiles and scores the index, and shares the results with the states and UTs each month.
- Global Standards: SHRESTH aims to be in line with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Benchmarking Tool (GBT) Maturity Level 3 (ML3), reinforcing India’s position as the “Pharmacy of the World.”
- WHO’s GBT assesses the regulatory maturity (on four levels (ML1–ML4)) of national systems for medicines, vaccines, blood products, and medical devices, ensuring high-quality, consistent regulation worldwide.
- India has achieved ML3 in 2024, which reflects a stable, well-functioning, and integrated regulatory system.
| Read more: Reforming India's Pharmaceutical Sector |
