The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), India’s national pharmaceutical regulator, has applied to the Kerala government to establish an office in the capital. The agency plans to set up a Technical Officer Desk (TOD) to oversee pharmaceutical and healthcare trade passing through Trivandrum port and Trivandrum International Airport.
TOD units operate at major Indian ports and airports to clear sensitive cargo. Their duties include regulatory verification and clearance of bulk drugs, finished formulations, medical devices, and diagnostic kits; physical warehouse inspections to verify labelling, cold-chain integrity, and packaging; document auditing covering manufacturing licences and Certificates of Analysis; and issuing No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to Customs for cargo release. Officers also draw statutory samples for testing at Central Drugs Laboratories, block substandard or banned consignments, and evaluate dual-use chemicals. All filings run through the CDSCO’s online SUGAM portal.
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