Drugs Controller General of India

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Drugs Controller General of India

Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) is the head of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), the Indian drug regulator under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The DCGI approves licenses for drugs such as blood and blood products, IV fluids, vaccines, and sera in India, and sets standards for the manufacturing, sale, import, and distribution of drugs.

Function
- Lays down the standards for manufacturing, selling, import and distribution of drugs in India.
- Prepares and maintains national reference standards.
- Seeks uniform enforcement of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.
- Trains drug analysts from state drug control laboratories and other institutions.
- Analyzes cosmetics received as survey samples from CDSCO.
- Under the Medical Device Rules 2017, acts as Central Licensing Authority for medical devices; directly licenses Class C and D devices, and coordinates licensing for Class A and B devices through State Licensing Authorities.

Governance
- As of February 1, 2023, Dr. Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi is the DCGI.
- Previously, Dr. VG Somani served as DCGI from August 14, 2019, succeeding interim DCGI S. Eswara Reddy (appointed February 2018).
- CDSCO’s broader role includes ensuring drug and cosmetic quality, approving new drugs, and regulating clinical trials.

Zonal Offices
- CDSCO operates six zonal offices in Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh), Hyderabad, and Ahmedabad, along with sub-zonal and port offices. These offices work with state drug control administrations to enforce the Drug Act uniformly.