**Executive Summary:**
This office order modifies the delegation of power to Zonal offices of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) to sign test licenses in Form 11 for importing small quantities of approved drugs for Bioavailability/Bioequivalence (BABE) studies intended for export. It specifies conditions for these studies, including dosage form approval, strength requirements, and volunteer criteria. The order also outlines application procedures, disposal timelines, and monthly reporting requirements for Zonal heads.
**Key Points / Main Content:**
* **Delegation of Authority:** Zonal officers are authorized to sign test licenses (Form 11) for importing small quantities of drugs for export-oriented BABE studies.
* **Conditions for Test Licenses:**
* Drugs must be approved by CDSCO for more than four years.
* The dosage form must be CDSCO approved.
* Strength must match approved strength; lower strength studies are considered if the strength is not listed in the new drug database.
* Studies must be conducted on healthy, adult human volunteers only; patient studies are prohibited.
* **Application Procedure for BABE Centers:**
* Zonal offices will prescreen applications for BABE centers within their jurisdiction.
* Applications are scrutinized using checklist no. 5 on the CDSCO website.
* Application review is carried out as per the enclosed format FB.
* Test licenses are issued with conditions as per the attached format FIC.
* Applications are to be disposed of within 10 working days (two weeks).
* **Reporting Requirements:**
* Each zone must maintain records of received, reviewed, and disposed applications.
* All zonal heads must submit monthly status reports of such applications to the central office.
* **Conditions for Test License Form 11**
* Substances imported are exclusively for examination, test, or analysis
* Examination, test, or analysis occurs in places specified in the licence
* Inspectors authorised by the licensing authority can enter the premises with or without prior notice
* The licensee keeps record of substances imported
* The licensee complies with requirements applicable to holders of licences for examination, test, or analysis
* The drugs imported are not for Commercial Marketing including export purposes
* The firm obtains a No Objection Certificate from the Narcotics Commissioner of India for the import of drugs under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act and Rules, 1985
**Impact Analysis:**
**Zonal Heads of CDSCO:**
* *Impact:* Authority to sign test licenses for specific BABE studies; responsibility for application processing, record maintenance, and monthly reporting.
* *Action Required:* Implement the revised procedures for test license issuance, maintain accurate records, and submit monthly status reports to the central office.
**BABE Centers:**
* *Impact:* Subject to new application procedures and conditions for conducting export-oriented BABE studies.
* *Action Required:* Ensure compliance with the specified conditions for studies, prepare applications according to the checklist, and submit applications to the appropriate Zonal office for prescreening.
**CDSCO (Central Office):**
* *Impact:* Oversight of the revised procedures and monitoring of Zonal office activities.
* *Action Required:* Monitor the monthly status reports from Zonal heads, ensure consistent application of the guidelines, and address any issues or inconsistencies that arise.
Key Entities Referenced
Central Drugs Standard Control Organization: The national regulatory body for pharmaceuticals and medical devices in India, responsible for regulating the quality, safety, and efficacy of drugs.
Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945: A set of rules in India that govern the import, manufacture, distribution, and sale of drugs and cosmetics.
Form 11: A specific form related to test licenses under the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945, used for importing drugs for examination, test, or analysis.
Bioavailability Bioequivalence: Refers to studies conducted to compare the rate and extent to which the active ingredient or active moiety is absorbed from a drug product and becomes available at the site of action.
Schedule Y: A schedule under the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules in India that outlines the requirements and guidelines for clinical trials and drug development.
Good Clinical Practice Guidelines: An international ethical and scientific quality standard for designing, conducting, recording and reporting trials that involve the participation of human subjects
Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act: An act to consolidate and amend the law relating to narcotic drugs, to make stringent provisions for the control and regulation of operations relating to narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances
New Delhi: The location of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) headquarters in India.