India host the 19th ICDRA meeting for the first time in New Delhi

India is hosting the 19th International Conference of Drug Regulatory Authorities (ICDRA) meeting in New Delhi from 14 to 18 October 2024. India was to host the event in 2020, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was postponed and is now being held in 2024. India is hosting the ICDRA meeting for the first time.

The 18th International Conference of Drug Regulatory Authorities meeting was held in Dublin, Ireland in 2018.

The meeting will bring together drug authorities from World Health Organisation (WHO) member countries to strengthen collaboration and develop international consensus on regulatory priorities.

Organiser of the 19th ICDRA meeting 

The 19th International Conference of Drug Regulatory Authorities is hosted by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO). The CDSO comes under the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfares.

Theme of the 19th ICDRA meeting 

 Smart Regulation: Delivering Quality Assured Medical Products for All is the theme of the  19th International Conference of Drug Regulatory Authorities meeting.

Who inaugurated the 19th ICDRA meeting?

The  19th International Conference of Drug Regulatory Authorities meeting was inaugurated by the Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Jagat Parkash Nadda.

About the  International Conference of Drug Regulatory Authorities 

The World Health Organisation organised the first International Conference of Drug Regulatory Authorities in 1980 in Annapolis, the United States of America. 

The meeting aimed to bring together the drug regulatory authorities of WHO member countries, discuss ways to harmonise drug regulatory information and promote collaboration.

Since then, the International Conference of Drug Regulatory Authorities meeting is normally held every two years.

Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO)

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) is a regulatory body under the administrative control of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. 

The Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940, as amended from time to time, assigns certain functions to the central and state governments.

The CDSCO performs the function assigned to the central government. It is responsible for granting approval to new drugs and clinical trials. It sets the standards for drugs in the country, exercises control over the quality of imported Drugs, coordinates the activities of State Drug Control Organisations, and provides expert advice so as to bring uniformity in enforcing the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.

Headquarters: New Delhi 

World Health Organisation (WHO)

World Health Organisation is an agency of the United Nations. It was set up on 7 April 1948.

Its headquarters is in Geneva. Switzerland has 194 member countries.

Director General of WHO: Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus