The great pilgrimage of Indian pharma professionals and pharma industry people to the holy city of Varanasi is just about to commence for embracing novel dimensions of pharma products, patient care and pharmacy practices to give further fillip to the incredible jump in quantity and quality that the domestic pharma industry has achieved over the years. Varanasi, popularly known as the religious capital of India, though for a while, will witness its transition into the pharma capital of India, as the city is decked to hold the glorious 59th edition Indian Pharmaceutical Congress (IPC) pompously.

The event, to be hosted at the Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, from December 20 to 23, 2007, is expected to attract tens of thousands of pharma professionals and people related to pharma industry in one way or other with a drive to fulfil the "Pharma Vision 2020" set at the 55th edition of IPC by the then President of India Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam.

Thanks to Dr Kalam, Pharma Vision 2020, a ten point vision document encompassing manufacture, research and development, clinical research and intellectual property rights amongst others, is considered as a blueprint for the growth of pharmacy profession in India. Organised jointly by Association of Pharmaceutical Teachers in India, Indian Pharmaceutical Association, Indian Pharmacy Graduates Association, Indian Hospital Pharmacists' Association and All India Drug Control Officers' Confederation, this year IPC would lay its stress on product, practice and patient, largely as part of its efforts to implement the vision laid down by the former President of India in phases.

"This year, IPC would explore what kind of products will be available in 2020 to serve the needs. While there will be plenty of new products that will be generated by 2020, very little can be said about the patient care and pharmacy practices. Hence, we thought it would be wise to focus on these three aspects to emphasise on the need for paying due attention to patients, who are the ultimate end users of medicines and upgrading pharmacy practises to achieve global standards," said, Dr H P Tipnis, President, 59th IPC.

Referring to the need for taking pharmacy practice and patient care to new horizons, Prof. R S Srivastava, organising secretary, 59th IPC, said, "The selection of Varanasi, a smaller district town compared to bigger metro cities and state capitals, will help to spread the importance of pharmacy practice and patient care further down from elite people of bigger cities. Let us not forget that these are the areas where more deprived people live."

In order to instil the essence of this years' theme of product, patient and practice well into the minds of participants, 59th IPC would feature several seminars, presentations and lectures by eminent experts in respective fields, added R S Srivastava. "Several scientific deliberations by highly acclaimed professionals from India and abroad and luminaries from the global scientific community will focus on the theme to benefit the entrepreneurs, teachers and all delegates on various issues of interest," he said.

More over, IPC would bring together all players at a common place to hear, see, and share knowledge and ideas. It will also give an opportunity to many to see what is happening in the fields of research, machines, equipments, education, materials etc, he noted.

The organisers expect that this year IPC would attract much bigger representation from USA and other countries, apart from pharmacists, industrialists, educationists, machinery manufacturers, regulatory officials from the hosting country. Also, there would be larger participation from country's clinical research organisations, contract research and manufacturing service providers, information technology companies, instrument manufacturers and buyers and sellers of active pharmaceutical ingredients, raw materials and packing materials, the organisers added.

As per the IPC routine, this year also the event would feature Pharma Expo. Titled Pharma Expo 2007, this exhibition would showcase pharmaceutical machinery, equipment, formulation products, books, software and allied products that will provide an extensive coverage and business opportunity for all the exhibitors at the venue.

Also, with respect to the platinum jubilee celebrations of Department of Pharmaceutics, Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, and to honour the luminous pharma big wigs a souvenir will be released on this occasion. The Department of Pharmaceutics has earned a rare status in the history of IPC by hosting the event more than once. This reputed department was the choice of destination for conducting 17th and 34th editions of IPC in 1965 and 1982, respectively. The proposed souvenir would be used as a source of information and reference relating to all spheres of pharmacy profession, the organisers revealed.