Nadda opens facility for manufacture of vaccines in Kasauli

Shimla
Union health minister JP Nadda inaugurated the Current Good Manufacturing Practise (CGMP) compliant facility for manufacture of DPT and TT vaccine at the Central Research Institute (CRI), Kasauli. This makes CRI, which will celebrate its 111th foundation day in May, the first Central government institute to have CGMP compliant infrastructure for production of vaccines. The minister also said CRI is exploring the feasibility of establishing a WHO pre-qualified CGMP compliant manufacturing facility for the yellow fever vaccine. This will enable the institute to supply the vaccine to African and Latin American countries, he said. Nadda announced the zonal office of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) will function from the Container Corporation of India building, Baddi to help pharma companies and exporters from Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana get clearances and no objection certificates. The CDSCO office will start working within a week, he said, adding that the HP government has agreed to provide land for the zonal office of CDSCO in Baddi. Three to four workshops on good manufacturing and laboratory practices will be organized at Baddi in May to ensure production of quality medicines. TT vaccine has been commercialized from this facility for use in the Universal Immunization Programme and production of DPT bulk has also been initiated. CRI is in process of acquiring 128 bighas of land from Himachal Pradesh government for the creation of the CGMP compliant facility for manufacturing of therapeutic anti-sera. The initiative will increase production capacity of the institute to cater to the spiralling demand for the lifesaving anti-sera and generate significant amount of employment opportunities for youth in the country.