Category: Hospitals

Registration by Medical Device Distributors, Stockists, Exhibitors or Resellers made a must under Medical Device Regulations

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has asked Distributors, traders and resellers of medical devices to register in an attempt to expand the ambit of regulating the medical devices industry in the country.

In a notification dated September 30 2022, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said anyone wanting to sell, stock, exhibit or offer for sale or distribute a medical device, including in-vitro diagnostic medical device, will need to obtain a Certificate of Registration. These rules may be called the Medical Devices (Fifth Amendment) Rules, 2022.

These rules shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.

Key points from the Notification released :

In the said rules, after rule 87, the following rules shall be inserted, namely:—

“87A. Registration certificate to sell, stock, exhibit or offer for sale or distribute a medical device including in vitro diagnostic medical device.—

(1) The State Licencing Authority shall appoint Licensing Authorities for the purpose of issuing registration certificate under this Part for such areas as may be specified.

(2) Any person who intends to sell, stock, exhibit or offer for sale or distribute a  medical device including in vitro diagnostic medical device, shall make an application in Form MD-41 to the State Licensing Authority for grant of registration certificate to sell, stock, exhibit or offer for sale or distribution.

(3) The application made under sub-rule (2) shall be accompanied with

• a fees specified in Second Schedule;
• self certificate of compliance with respect to Good Distribution Compliance;
• details of the applicant or firm including its constitution, along with identification proof, such as, Aadhar card or PAN card;
• documentary evidence in respect of ownership or occupancy on rental of the premises;
• details of competent technical staff, under whose direction and supervision the sales activity of medical device shall be undertaken, who shall possess the following educational qualification and experience, namely:—
  • hold a degree from a recognized University/Institution; or
  • is a registered pharmacist; or
  • has passed intermediate examination or its equivalent examination from a recognised Board with one-year experience in dealing with sale of medical devices;
• brief description on other activities carried out by applicant, namely, storage of drugs, medical items, food products, stationeries, etc., or any other activities carried out by the applicant in the said premises; and
• an undertaking to the effect that the storage requirements to sell, stock, exhibit or offer for sale or distribute a medical device will be complied with.

(4) The State Licensing Authority shall, after scrutiny of documents and on being satisfied that the requirements of these rules have been complied with, grant a registration certificate in Form MD42, or if not satisfied, reject the application for reasons to be recorded in writing, within ten days from the date the application is made under sub-rule (2).

(5) If the application for grant of registration certificate to sell, stock, exhibit or offer for sale or distribute a medical device is rejected under sub-rule (4), the aggrieved person may prefer an appeal before the State Government within forty-five days from the date of receipt of such rejection, which may, after such enquiry and after giving an opportunity of being heard to the appellant, dispose it within a period of sixty days from the date of receipt of such appeal.

87B. Conditions of registration certificate to sell, stock, exhibit or offer for sale or distribute a medical device including in vitro diagnostic medical device.—

(1)The registration certificate granted under rule 87A shall be displayed at a prominent place in the premises visible to the public.

(2) The registration certificate holder shall provide adequate space and proper storage condition for storage of the medical devices.

(3) The registration certificate holder shall maintain requisite temperature and lighting as per requirements of such medical devices.

(4) The medical devices shall be purchased only from importer or licensed manufacturer or registered or licensed entity.

(5) Separate records, in the form of invoice or register or electronic details including software of purchases and sales of medical devices showing the names and quantities of such medical devices, names and addresses of the manufacturers or importers, batch number or lot number and expiry date (if applicable) shall be maintained. 

(6) The records referred to in sub-rule (5) shall be open to inspection by a Medical Device Officer appointed under the sub-rule (2) of rule 18, who may, if necessary, make enquiries about purchases and sale of the medical devices and may also take samples for testing.

(7) All registers and records mentioned under these rules, shall be preserved for a period of not less than two years from the last entry, therein.

(8) The registration certificate holder shall maintain an inspection book in Form MD-43 to enable the Medical Devices Officer to record his observations and defects noticed.

87C. Validity of registration certificate.— (1)A registration certificate issued in Form MD-42, shall remain valid in perpetuity, subject to payment of registration certificate retention fee as specified in the Second Schedule, before completion of the period of five years from the date of its issue, unless, it is suspended or cancelled by State Licensing Authority:

Provided that, if the registration certificate holder fails to pay the required registration certificate retention fee on or before due date, the registration certificate holder shall, in addition to the registration certificate retention fee, be liable to pay a late fee calculated at the rate of two per cent. of the registration certificate retention fee for every month or part thereof within six months:

Provided further that in the event of non-payment of such fee within the period referred to in the first proviso, the registration certificate shall be deemed to have been cancelled.

87D. Suspension and cancellation of Registration Certificate.— (1) Where the registration certificate holder contravenes any provision of the Act or these rules, the State Licensing Authority, shall, after giving the registration certificate holder an opportunity to show cause as to why such an order should not be passed, by an order and for reasons to be recorded in writing, suspend it for such period as it considers necessary either wholly or in respect of any of the medical device or, as the case may be, cancel the registration certificate.

(2) A registration certificate holder whose registration certificate has been suspended or cancelled by the State Licensing Authority under sub-rule (1), may within forty-five days of the receipt of a copy of the order by such authority, prefer an appeal to the State Government and the State Government, shall after giving the registration holder an opportunity of being heard, confirm, reverse or modify such order, with reasons to be recorded in writing.”.

Notification also contains other information like application format (MD 41), MD 42, fee details etc .

Download the notification here