Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday said National Institute of Biologicals (NIB) is playing a vital role in ensuring that only quality biological products reach the health system.

After virtually inaugurating National Summit on Quality of Biologicals, here, he said: "The National Summit will act as platform to bring together stakeholders, regulatory authorities and academia for interaction on various aspects of quality assurance of biologicals. These interactions will spearhead capacity building, technology enhancement and development of newer biologicals for promoting and safeguarding public health contributing towards government's mandate of 'Healthy India'."

Dr. Mandaviya noted that "biological drugs have emerged as a choice of therapy along with conventional chemical drugs. The medical emergency over the past few years due to the COVID-19 pandemic has seen our Biopharma and diagnostic industry prove to be strategic assets to meet the public health requirement not only of our country but globally, which has given meaning to the statement of universal brotherhood 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam', that is, 'the whole world is one family'."

Congratulating NIB for bringing multiple stakeholders in a single platform, the Union Minister said: "This summit will provide a base for gap analysis in the currently prevalent quality assurance approaches in India".
"It will help upgrade the infrastructure and technologies of the country's biopharmaceuticals and in-vitro diagnostic industry and enhance its capacity to develop world-class products and promote public health", he stated.

He also commended NIB for realising the need for trained human resource in the biopharma sector and for taking initiative towards National Skill Development Programme.

He further added that NIB, Blood Cell in collaboration with NHM knowledge is providing training to post graduate students on 'Quality Control of Biologicals' and providing technical assistance to blood bank officials to strengthen blood services and to develop and enhance analytical skills and technological knowledge. He urged NIB to further strengthen the training programs to prepare qualified human resource in this particular field.

Minister of State for Health Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar and NITI Aayog member V. K. Paul also addressed the summit through video message.

Dr Pawar said, "NIB is uniquely positioned to conduct thorough and unbiased evaluations of the quality of biologicals".

She stated that "NIB does not just focus only on testing and evaluation but also plays a key role in promoting good manufacturing practices, monitoring and reporting adverse events, and collaborating with other regulatory agencies and industry partners to ensure the quality and safety of biologicals".