Drugs have a special significance in human life. There may not be any need of a drug for a healthy person in normal life. But in illness, accidents, epidemics and natural disasters drugs are urgently required to combat the disease and it is there that drug fights DEATH. DRUG is therefore the greatest weapon of mankind to fight DISEASE and DEATH. It is at this very point of death that the specific drug of highest quality , purity and safety has to win the battle for life. Therefore, one cannot compromise for anything less. Hence the need for DRUGS CONTROL ADMINISTRATION.
In the beginning of the 20th century Drug Industry was practically non-existent in India and drugs were being imported from abroad. The first world war changed the situation and not only were finished and cheap drugs were imported in increasing volumes, but also the need for indigenous production of drugs was also voiced from all corners. With the clamor for swadeshi goods increasing manufacturing concerns, both Indian and foreign, sprang up to produce pharmaceuticals at cheaper rates to compete with imported products. Naturally some of these were of inferior quality and harmful for public health. Foreign traders settled in India used to dump substandard and adulterated drugs manufactured by them. More so, some very commonly used drugs even for simple aliments were also imported. For some medicinal preparations, which were manufactured indigenously, there was no standardization of these preparations and drugs were indiscriminately used. The Government was, therefore called upon to take notice of the situation and consider the matter of introducing legislation to control the manufacture, distribution and sale of drugs.
In 1927, a Resolution was adopted by the Council of States recommending to the Governor General Council to urge all Provincial Governments to take immediate steps to control the indiscriminate use of drugs and to bring in legislation for the standardization of the preparations and for the sale of such drugs. In August, 1930, in response to public opinion against defective drugs and in pursuance of the Resolution of 1927, the Government of India appointed a Committee known as the Drugs Enquiry Committee with Col. R.N. Chopra as its Chairman to enquire into the extent to which Not of Standard Quality drugs or defective strength were being imported, manufactured or sold in India and to recommend steps for controlling such import, manufacture and sale, in public interest. This Committee also known as the Chopra Committee, recommended among others, to make Central Legislation to Control drugs. As a result of this Committee’s report, the Government of India passed the Drugs Act in 1940 to regulate the import, manufacture, distribution and sale of drugs. The Drugs Act received the ascent of the Governor General on 10th April 1940. The Drugs Rules were framed in 1945 to give effect to the provisions of the Act.
When the Drugs Act was enacted in 1940, Cosmetics were not included under this statute. Reports started appearing in the press that due to the absence of control measures, unscrupulous manufacturers were making attractive cosmetics like lipsticks with harmful textile colors, creams and powders etc. using toxic raw materials. Hospitals started reporting cases of obstinate skin disorders due to use of these harmful cosmetics. Hence in the year 1962, cosmetics were brought under the purview of enforcement and then onwards the Act has been titled as "The Drugs and Cosmetics Act".