India Meets Criteria to Join OECD "Mutual Acceptance of Data" Program

India has now met all of the requirements to be accepted into the OECD Mutual Acceptance of Data (MAD) program.  It did so by demonstrating that it could successfully conduct health and safety testing under Good Laboratory Practices (GLPs), which is the standard for such testing in all thirty-four of the OECD countries (which includes EU countries, the US and Canada, among others).  The achievement allows Indian chemical manufacturers to conduct and provide single tests in support of their products in all OECD countries.  This makes it easier and less costly to enter the marketplace.

The achievement is important because OECD consists of mostly economically developed countries, and India joins Brazil, Singapore and South Africa as the only developing countries to meet the tough OECD standards.  Being able to enjoy the benefits of the MAD program will greatly enhance marketability.  MAD is the system in which the results of a set of health and safety studies can be submitted in support of a product, and acceptance by a rapporteur member state is deemed acceptance by all member states.