The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has issued a list of 26 medical oxygen manufacturers from across the country and requested the Drug Controllers of all States and Union Territories to provide month-wise data of their stock of medical oxygen for the last 18 months. The Drug Controllers need to submit data related to the sale of oxygen, nitrogen and argon along with installed capacity, and actual production levels, pre and during COVID-19.
It has also requested to provide information concerning the daily stock position (in tons), daily installed capacity (in tons), and daily actual production (in tons), market share, name and address of the manufacturers along with their contact details and date of verification of the claim of venting.
The CDSCO’s move comes on the back of instructions from the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, which has asked to furnish the following details on an urgent basis.
- Verification and information regarding the daily stock position of oxygen, installed capacity and actual daily production (along with market share) of major manufactures.
- To assess their stock position, installed capacity and actual production levels pre and during COVID-19 and sales of Oxygen, Nitrogen and Argon for the last 18 months
- Collection of data and verification of claim on venting of Oxygen, Nitrogen and Argon
- Whether the manufacturers have intimated to the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) for a reduction in their manufacturing as per the statutory provisions in this regard.
To get the aforementioned information on a priority, the Drug Controller General of (India) (DCGI) has requested the Drug Controllers of the country to depute their respective drug inspectors to the leading manufacturers of the medical oxygen. Drug Inspectors need to enter manufacturers’ premises to collect the data, so the NPPA has invoked the powers under DPCO 2013 to help them do so.
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Commenting on this move, Manmohan Taneja, Assistant State Drugs Controller, Haryana said, “Particularly, in the State of Haryana there is no shortage of medical oxygen, however, we have asked our drug control officer to collect the requested data from the manufacturers.”
He also informed, “The DCGI has been asking this data for nearly three months now. This exercise could be a step of preparedness by the regulatory agencies gauge the demand and understand the market availability to deal with any critical situation.”
The list of medical oxygen manufacturers as received from DPIIT
1. Lynde India —-Tamilnadu, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Orissa Gujarat and Uttarakhand
2. Air Water Jamshedpur– Jharkhand
3. India Glycol Kashipur- Uttarakhand
4. Inox India– Gujarat
5. Air Liquid– Gujarat, Haryana, Uttarakhand
6. Taiyo Nippon Sanso India– Maharashtra
7. EIGL–Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and West Bengal
8. Goyal MG Gases — Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal
9. National Oxygen —-Tamilnadu and Puducherry
10. Premier Cryogenics Nagaon–Assam
11. Liquiniox Pydibhimavaram– Andhra Pradesh
12. Jindal Steel Plant, Raigarh- Chhattisgarh
13. Sriram oxygen Bhab Nagar– Gujarat
14. RS Cryogenics, Bari Brahamana, Jammu– Jammu and Kashmir
15. Hi-tech Industries, Mohali– Punjab
16. Jalan Gases and Allied Industries, Rajpura– Punjab
17. BOC Gases, Ludhiana– Punjab
18. Anaesthetic Gasses, Derabassi– Punjab
19. Bhullar Oxygen, Amritsar– Punjab
20. Universal Air Products — Karnataka
21. Bhuruka Gases — Karnataka
22. Kolhapur Oxygen Acetylene– Maharashtra
23. Inox India — Maharashtra
24. Peenya Industries Gases– Tamilnadu
25. Sicgilsol Gases– Tamilnadu
26. Himalayan Gas Industries — Assam
In April 2020, on the request of All India Gases Manufacturer’s Association (AIIGMA), the DCGI had allowed the manufacture of oxygen for medical use provided manufacturing license is procured. And, it has also instructed all the Drug Controllers to grant manufacturing licenses for medical use within 24 hours of receiving the application, fees etc.
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