Prof V B Desai, president, Indian Pharmaceutical Congress Association (IPCA) for 2002-2003, is a force to reckon with in the pharmaceutical field. As former academician, he advocates a change in the pharmacy education in India to be on par with the global standards. Prof. Desai's message at the 54th IPC at Pune is that D Pharm should not be abolished but the syllabus needs to be updated to degree level with introduction of specific subjects like community, hospital and clinical pharmacy and industrial pharmacy.

He goes on to state that intro-duction of biotechnology department in pharmacy colleges will help strengthen the curriculum of B Pharm. In an interview with Nandita Vijay, Prof. Desai speaks on a range of pharmacy educational issues. Excerpts:

As president of IPCA, how do you look at the importance and relevance of the 54th IPC at Pune?
The 54th IPC at Pune will provide a direction to the progress of pharmaceutical sector in India. The purpose of this Congress is to provide a platform to deliberate on industrial pharmacy and progress in R&D through seminar, symposia, plenary lectures and research paper presentations. Each year, a theme is introduced and this year it is ''Biotechnology and challenges in pharmacy''. The purpose of selecting this theme is to be able to gear up to the latest trends in the development of biotech drugs. In the next 10 to 15 years, 50% of the traditional treatment will be from biotech drugs. This is the right time to put in concerted efforts on this front.

What are your suggestions to improve pharmacy education and the profession in India?
Pharmacy education in India needs a transformation at the D Pharm and B Pharm level. Earlier, the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) was of the view that D Pharm was adequate for the practice of pharmacy, but later called for abolition of D Pharm. Instead, it proposed a common syllabus in B Pharm that includes pharmacy practice and industrial pharmacy. But I feel it is not correct, as it becomes a very vast subject. One must realise that 95% of pharmacy graduates join the industry mainly and a few opt for academics and only a handful practise pharmacy (trade) that are the diploma holders. Worldwide D Pharm is not recognised and B Pharm is the minimum qualification for practice of pharmacy.

So you do not recom-mend discontinuation of D Pharm?
I do not recommend the discontinuation of D Pharm, but would suggest updating syllabus to degree level with clinical, hospital and community pharmacy covered under it. This will create posts of pharmacy assistants to work under the registered pharmacist who will be a B Pharm. It was the PCI''s decision that D Pharm should cease to exist by 2003. Unless an Act is passed in the Parliament, it is not possible. There may be conflicting views and a sudden change is not advisable. We do require B Pharm as a minimum qualification. There should be a clear-cut norm for students to specialise in either professional pharmacy or industrial pharmacy and not merge the two specialities.

There are three bodies, which control pharmacy education in India. PCI controls the standard of qualification for the registered pharmacists. Both D Pharm and B Pharm come under PCI for the purpose. B Pharm is also controlled by the University of each state and AICTE. The latter is responsible for the infrastructure and standard of education as it is a technical body, which recognises B Pharm as a technical course.

What do you think of the standard of pharmacy education in the country?
The Diploma course in pharmacy, as I said is not adequate to practise and should be upgraded to B Pharm immediately. The syllabus of B Pharm is acceptable for now, but it must include biotechnology. All degree colleges offering B Pharm should start a biotechnology department. There must be a change in syllabus and colleges need to be upgraded for this purpose which is possible as the present degree syllabus has two subjects - pharmaceutical microbiology and bio-chemistry which are related to biotechnology.

Since the theme of the Congress is ''Biotechnology and challenges to pharmacy'', what is your message to the pharmacy fraternity at the 54th IPC?
Pharmacy colleges should create a separate biotechnology wing. The postgraduate and the doctorate research should have biotech specific study and should be associated with international bodies.

The pharma-biotech industry must have global alliances to integrate biotechnology not only to manufacture drugs but also deve-lop research and developmental programmes to meet the challenges of the millennium.

The government should give us a free hand and there also should be an organised regulatory cell.