The United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg will be on her first official visit to India next week.
The week-long visit, between February 10th and 18th, will include Delhi, Kochi and Mumbai, the USFDA said.
The trip comes at a time when India-based drug companies, including Ranbaxy and Wockhardt, are reeling under the heat of the US regulator’s scrutiny.
The visit is to strengthen cooperation between the US regulator and its Indian counterparts, the FDA said, adding that Hamburg is scheduled to meet Indian policy and government representatives involved in the regulation of medical and food products exported to the United States.
India is the second largest provider of finished drug products and the eighth largest exporter of food products to the United States.
“The FDA’s ongoing engagement with our regulatory counterparts in India is critical to our ability to effectively promote the health and safety of American and Indian consumers,” Hamburg, said in a statement.
The co-operation of United States and Indian food and drug officials is wide-ranging, from sharing information on the conduct of clinical trials to jointly addressing product safety issues that may have an impact on both American and Indian consumers, the note added.
Hamburg will also meet industry leaders in India to discuss the importance of maintaining high-quality standards in producing goods to ensure consumers have access to safe products.