First meeting today on regulating medical devices

The investigation highlighted how the first Bill to regulate medical devices was drafted 12 years ago but was still not enacted.

#ImplantFiles: Govt’s new council on medical devices will tackle patient safety and pricing

Implant Files: Pharma majors gave freebies to doctors, claimed tax benefits (Representational)

MORE THAN two months after The Indian Express published the Implant Files, a series of investigative reports on the unregulated medical bazaar in India, the government will hold its first meeting Friday to discuss the “road map” for regulating the sale and use of medical devices.

The meeting will be held by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization, the national medical device regulator, with major stakeholders of the medical device industry. It will discuss regulatory measures, including safety of patients and pricing, sources said.

A notice send by Drugs Controller General of India Dr S Eswara Reddy states that the meeting is “in pursuance of the order by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and in order to prepare road for regulations of all medical devices”.

Sources said the meeting will also discuss key findings of the 10-month investigation by The Indian Express.

Click here : For full coverage

The investigation highlighted how the first Bill to regulate medical devices was drafted 12 years ago but was still not enacted. And how global pharma majors are pushing such devices — from coronary stents and pacemakers to breast and knee implants — into markets via a dubious nexus with hospitals and doctors.

It found breast implants being done in basement Operating Theatres; an out-patient department at AIIMS to conduct revision surgeries for faulty orthopaedic implants; and global majors, such as Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic, Stryker, Abbott and Bayer, pushing devices without adequate oversight for quality or clinical testing.

The investigation also revealed that more than half of the medical and diagnostic medical equipment used in private clinics and hospitals are imported as “pre-owned” or “second hand” with no assessments done on their levels of accuracy or safety.

Kaunain Sheriff M

As City Editor ( Delhi) at the Indian Express, Kaunain Sheriff leads city reporting with a sharp focus on accountability journalism, data-driven stories, and ground-level impact. As the National Health Editor he leads the newsroom’s in-depth coverage of pressing health issues. He is the author of Johnson & Johnson Files: The Indian Secrets of a Global Giant, a definitive investigation into the accountability of one of the world’s most powerful pharmaceutical corporations. Areas of Expertise Investigative Reporting: Has deep expertise in investigative reporting spanning public health, regulatory affairs, drug safety, and the criminal justice system. His work sits at the intersection of governance, law, and accountability, with a particular focus on how regulatory failures, institutional lapses, and policy decisions affect citizens’ rights and safety. Data Journalism: Has extensively on big data–driven investigations, including analyses of flagship government schemes and large datasets on criminal trials, uncovering systemic gaps. Global Collaborations Kaunain is a key contributor to major international journalistic projects: The Implant Files: Collaborated with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) to expose global malpractices in the medical device industry. Chinese Big-Data Investigation: Uncovered how a foreign data firm monitored thousands of prominent Indian institutions and individuals in real-time. Awards & Recognition His commitment to "Journalism of Courage" has been recognized with the industry's highest honors: Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism SOPA Award (Society of Publishers in Asia) Red Ink Award (Mumbai Press Club) Indian Express Excellence Awards (Triple recipient for investigations into the NSA abuse in UP, Vyapam scam, and the anti-Sikh riots). Education: Studied Mechanical Engineering at Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU), Bangalore, before moving to Delhi to pursue his passion for journalism. His engineering training informs his analytical approach, enabling him to decode technical, legal, and data-heavy systems with precision. Social media LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kaunain-sheriff-3a00ab99 X ( fromerly Twitter): @kaunain_s ... Read More

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

Tags:
Implant Files