DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF HEALTH SERVICES

Central Drugs Laboratory

The Central Drugs Laboratory, Kolkata is the nation statutory laboratory of the Government of India for Quality control of Drugs and Cosmetics and is established under the Indian Drugs & Cosmetic Act, 1940. It is the oldest quality control laboratory of the Drugs Controls Authorities in India. It functions under the administrative control of the Director General of Health Services in the Ministry of the Health and Family Welfare.

The functions of the Laboratory include:

1. Statutory function:
   1. Analytical quality control of majority of the imported drugs available in Indian market.
   2. Analytical quality control of drug and cosmetic manufactures with in the country on behalf of the Center and State Drug Controller Administrations.
   3. Acting as an appellate authority in matters of disputers related of quality of drugs
2. Other functions:
   1. Collection, storage and distribution of International standard International  Reference preparations  of drug and Pharmaceutical substances.
   2. Preparation of National Reference Standards and maintenance of such standards. Maintenance of microbial cultures useful in drug analysis distribution of standards and cultures to state quality control laboratories and other Institutions.
   3. Training of drug Analysts deputed by State Control Laboratories and other Institutions.
   4. Training of World Health Organisation Fellows from abroad on Modern Methods of Drug Analysis.
   5. To advise the Central Drug Control Administration in respect of quality and toxicity of drugs awaiting License.
   6. To work out analytical specifications for preparation of Monographs of Drugs for the Indian Pharmacopoeia and the Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia of India.
   7. To undertake analytical research on standardisation and methodology of Drugs and Cosmetic.
   8. Analysis of Cosmetics received as survey samples from Central drug Standard Control organization.
   9. Quick analysis of life saving drugs on ALL- India basis received under National Survey of Quality of Essential Drug Programme from Zonal Officers of Central Drug standard Control Organisation.

In addition to the above functions the Central Drug Laboratory also actively collaborates with the World Health Organisation in the preparation of International Standards and  Specifications for International Pharmacopoeia. It also undertakes collaborative study on behalf on the Indian Pharmacopoeia Committee. The senior officers of the laboratory have been appointed as Government Analysts on behalf of most of the states of the Union for analysis of drug samples.