New Delhi, June 26 -- In a significant step towards promoting research and innovation and enhancing ease of doing business in the pharmaceutical sector, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has proposed amendments to the Drugs Rules, 1945, to simplify the procedure for obtaining permission for import of drugs for examination, test or analysis. This is commonly known as Form 11.

According to the Ministry, the amendment introduces an acknowledgement-based system for the import of all drugs in small quantities for analytical and non-clinical testing purposes. Under the revised provisions, applicants intending to import such drugs will be required to submit a prior intimation form and may import the drug based on the acknowledgeme...