Reiterating the Centre’s commitment to healthcare, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Singh Patel said on Wednesday that the focus of the government is on building a strong healthcare system that meets the needs of the population of the country.

Speaking at the 19th International Conference of Drug Regulatory Authorities (ICDRA) here, she said, “Programs like Ayushman Bharat ensure that over 500 million people have access to quality healthcare. This shows our commitment to making healthcare a right for everyone, not just a privilege.”

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Referring to the conference, Patel said, “The ICDRA is not just a conference, it is an opportunity for us to collaborate, innovate, and support one another in our shared mission for better health for all.”

Emphasising the new rules and regulatory procedures introduced in India, she said, “New regulations published in the areas of clinical trials as New Drugs and Clinical Trial rules 2019 and Medical Device Rules 2017 have promoted scientific and ethical research at par with global expectation and international practices.”

Patel said the medical device rules include risk-based classification, bringing all devices under regulation through registration and framing regulatory pathways.

“There are robust pre-approval and post-approval regulatory procedures of all medical devices, diagnostics managing product lifecycle indicating robust control. We are collaborating globally with international organisations such as IMDRF, ISO, WHO and regional networks like SEARN to harmonise regulatory requirements in the area of medical devices and diagnostics,” she said.

Pointing out that India has been recently recognised as an affiliate member of IMDRF, the minister said, “Recognition of Indian Pharmacopoeia by the Pharmacopoeial Discussion Group (PDG) is another milestone marking the harmonisation and recognition of regulatory standards.”

Stating that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing the face of healthcare, the Minister said, “AI can assist us in making quicker decisions, enhancing patient care, and speeding up research. By adopting new technologies, we can offer improved services to our people and achieve better health results.”