The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced in a statement the opening of two HHS Food and Drug Administration (FDA) offices in New Delhi, and Mumbai, India.
“Through these offices, we can work more closely with manufacturers to share best practices and ensure producers build quality and safety into food and medical products,” said HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt. “Consumers in India and the US will benefit from the enhanced safety of food, drugs and medical devices. If called upon, we are also prepared to work with the Indian government as it strengthens its own regulatory institutions.”
HHS/FDA will post 10 experienced officials in India to work closely with industries that ship food and medical products to the US, to improve safety and quality, which will facilitate the smooth flow of trade. Along with the Office Director, HHS/FDA will instate four inspectors and five senior technical experts who will cover food, medical devices and medicines.
These HHS/FDA personnel will provide technical advice, conduct inspections of facilities that export to the US, and work with Indian government agencies and the private sector to develop certification programs to allow the efficient flow of safe HHS/FDA-regulated goods between the US and India.
With the opening of the two latest offices, HHS/FDA now has an in-country presence in China, Central America, India, and Europe.
HHS/FDA also plans to post FDA personnel to several more locations this year including Mexico, South America, Europe and the Middle East.
