Under its research program on ‘Drug Regulatory reforms in India’, ICRIER’s Health Policy Initiative organized a consultative workshop on May 1, 2015 at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, to discuss the first drafts of the two papers under the project viz. Administrative Structure and Functions of Drug Regulatory Authorities in India, and Drug Quality and Safety Issues in India. These drafts were prepared following 9 months of extensive desk and field research mapping responses of over 100 stakeholders across India and select international jurisdictions. The aim of the workshop was to solicit feedback on the papers from a select and limited group of experts to help the research teams enhance the academic content of the papers as well as develop preliminary policy recommendations.

The inaugural address at the event was delivered by Dr Shailendra Kumar, Director (Drugs), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. This followed by a keynote address by Dr Kathleen Holloway, Regional Advisor in Essential Drugs and Other Medicines at WHO/SEARO.The findings from each of the papers under study were presented during the workshop, followed by two discussion rounds chaired by Dr Madhur Gupta, Technical Officer (Pharmaceuticals), WHO India Country Office and by Dr Aditya Bhattacharjea, Professor and Head of Department of Economics, Delhi School of Economics, respectively.