Govt notifies commonly used medical devices as drugs

Government has notified commonly used medical devices nebulizers, blood pressure monitors, digital thermometers and glucometers as drugs under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. It will enable the government to ensure their quality and performance. 

The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) will regulate the import, manufacture and sale of these devices from January



2020.

The DTAB, the country's highest drug advisory body, had approved the proposal to include them under the purview of the Drug law. Currently, only 23 medical devices are monitored for quality by the country's drug regulator. 

With four new devices being notified, 27 medical devices now fall under the definition of drugs under the Act.