Experts panel to recommend separate medical devices law

A committee comprising representatives of medical device industry associations and senior members of the Health Ministry Friday decided tomake ten key recommendations to the government, including a proposal to formulate a separate medical devices law.

The move comes two months after The Indian Express published the Implant Files, a series of investigative reports on the unregulated medical bazaar in India.

The investigation found that global pharma majors have been pushing medical devices into markets in nexus with hospitals and doctors.

Henceforth a device label will be introduced to ensure every medical device in the country can be traced.

Rajiv Nath,Forum Coordinator,Association of India Medical Device industry,told the Indian Express:”These two recommendations will have the most impact.The government will know who imports or manufactures what type of a device.Without the data and facts,it is impossible to take correct policy decisions.”