NEW DELHI, April 10 -- India plans to restrict the testing of vaccines and specialized biological products exclusively to government-controlled laboratories to maintain quality standards, according to two government officials and documents reviewed by Mint. This new approach will affect private laboratory operators and the pharmaceutical manufacturers that rely on them for faster testing turnaround times.

Under the existing rules, private labs are allowed to test specified drugs including vaccines and biologicals. However, after criticism for lax oversight, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) is now planning a major policy shift by restricting the use of private facilities for testing vital pharmaceutical products. Th...