Chemicals ministry asks industry to start process of bi-lingual labelling by April 18
Joe C Mathew, New Delhi

The Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals has asked all pharmaceutical industry associations to ensure that the process of bi-lingual labelling on drugs begin from April 18, 2006. The department wanted the companies to submit sample labels containing essential details of the medicine in both Hindi and English to National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) at the earliest. However, the department move is not to have any legal sanctity as the Health Ministry, the administrative ministry for the purpose, is yet to take a view on the whole issue.

While the earlier decision announced by Union Chemicals Minister Ram Vilas Paswan was to have bi-lingual labelling from April 1 onwards, it was revised after some industry associations sought more time. Meanwhile, the Health Ministry is awaiting the response from the Chemicals Ministry on the clarifications sought by the former on the issue. This came after Chemicals Ministry requested the Health Ministry to bring in amendment to D & C Act to make bilingual labelling mandatory.

The Health Ministry has felt that the issue is not so simple and involves lot of practical difficulties. It wanted the Chemicals Ministry to clarify all these issues before going ahead with the notification plans.

"We have written to them. It is the Chemicals Ministry that has to respond now. The ball is in their court," a senior Health Ministry official said. Interestingly, the pharmaceutical industry claims not to have given any assurance to the Chemicals Minister on voluntary introduction of bilingual labels. They are surprised by the minister's declaration that it was unanimously decided by all associations to take up the process of bilingual labelling.

As Pharmabiz had reported, the minister had wanted all pharmaceutical companies to begin printing bilingual labels from April 1, 2006. A transition period up to October 2, 2006, was also given for the old stocks to get cleared. It was suggested that all the products available in the market after October 2 should carry labels in both languages.

Courtesy : www.pharmabiz.com
11th April, 2006

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