NEW DELHI: The proposal for setting up the National Drug Authority would be placed before the Cabinet for its approval shortly, Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Anbumani Ramadoss said here on Thursday.

The Authority, drafted along the lines of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, would act as a regulatory body for setting standards and regulating the quality of drugs, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics in the country. "The entire process should take about a year-and-a-half," Mr. Ramadoss said. The Authority would deal with issues of safety of drugs, licensing, medical devices and alternate systems of medicine would also be brought under its purview.

Speaking at the Sixth Editor's Conference on Social Sector Issues, Mr. Ramadoss said if the Integrated Food law were put under the purview of the Health Ministry, the Authority would be re-christened the National Food and Drug Administration. The Prime Minister has constituted a committee to specify the jurisdiction of the Integrated Food law.

As of now, the Ministries of Food Processing and Health and Family Welfare want the law to be brought under their jurisdiction.

The Health Minister said the Ministry was in consultation with the State Governments for making rural postings compulsory. "We want fresh doctors to serve in rural areas for at least a year before they get their degrees or before they started practicing. This would help in taking medical health services to rural India.''

Mr. Ramadoss said the Ministry had taken steps to develop quality standards and implement the Good Manufacturing Practices for ayurveda, siddha and unani drugs and to strengthen drug testing laboratories and pharmacies and the drug control enforcement mechanism.

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