Its almost end of a year, but for Indian pharmaceutical companies. What awaits this fast growing domestic industry is 59th edition of the Indian pharmaceutical congress, wherein it will have new visions and missions to achieve the proposed visions and hence beginning of a new year. This year, Indian pharmaceutical congress plans to revitalise the country's pharmacy product and practices regime, while emphasising the need for better patient care to rewrite the facet of Indian pharma industry. In an interview to Chronicle Pharmabiz, Prof. R S Srivastava, organizing secretary of 59th Indian pharmaceutical congress, deliberated at length on its theme, venue and of the event and how IPC 2007 would make an impact on the pharmacy professionals in the country. Excerpts:
This year, what are your strategies to drive the theme of product, patient and practice home?
Since the birth of indigenous pharmaceutical industry by the great professor Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy through the establishment of Bengal Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals in Kolkata in 1904 and establishment of first pharmacy college in 1932 by the great Mahamana Madan Mohan Malviya in Banaras Hindu University, the pharma industry has grown considerably. The last two decades have witnessed a tremendous jump in quantity and quality. It has established a solid footprint in overseas market. However, very little progress has been made in the area of pharmacy practice and patient care, due to various reasons.
The selection of Varanasi, a smaller district town compared to bigger metro cities and state capitals, will help all 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.
Driving the theme is a joint effort of all those who are associated with the noble profession of pharmacy. In this respect, many seminars, presentations and plenary lectures have been planned for this 4-day congress.
How is IPC 2007 going to make an impact in the fields of patient care and pharmacy practice?
IPC 2007 at Varanasi will endeavour to make patient care an area of serious and urgent concern for improvement. A nation with unhealthy, sick people is a matter of great regret and the situation must be improved. It will not come in days but will require a lot of efforts and time vis-à-vis improvement in the vital indexes of education, shelter, primary sanitation, water, food, income etc. Experts will deliberate on these issues and try to contribute their might in the improvement of patient care.
What sort of participation do you expect for IPC 2007 and how is it going to be different from previous years?
IPC draws similar type of people every year covering pharmacists, industrialists, educationists, machinery manufacturers, regulatory officials etc.
However, we are expecting a much bigger representation from USA and other countries this year. We are also expecting attendance by people from nearby areas like Lucknow, Kanpur, Faizabad, Allahabad and Gorakhpur, where not much pharma companies exist. They will be able to enrich their ideas by participating in the seminars and seeing various machineries, equipments in the grand Pharma Expo exhibition being organised by FICCI.
How would the event equip the industry to meet the challenges and identify upcoming opportunities?
Lectures, seminars, poster presentation etc on the current developments in all the areas of pharma profession will be organised wherein participants will hear, discuss and experience the ideas of leaders both from India and abroad.
In addition, we are expecting a very good participation of CROs, CRAMS, IT- companies, instrument manufacturers, API and raw materials and packing material buyers and sellers. All these will certainly help the industry not only to face the current situation but also to be ready to face the future challenges.
How far IPC has evolved as a celebration of profession of pharmacy since its origin and what are its plans for future?
IPC has done a great job over the years by bringing together all at a common place to hear, look, share knowledge and ideas to one another. It gives an opportunity to many to see at one place what is happening all around in terms of research, machines, equipment, education, materials etc. It will continue to do so. Format may change, but not the essence.
How successful has IPC 2006 been in implementing the pharma vision 2020?
A number of various actions have already been taken to implement items of pharma vision in terms of resolution taken in IPC 2006. IPC headquarters, IPA central etc can be contacted for detail.
What prompted you to choose Varanasi to hold 59th IPC?
2007 IPC coincides with the 75th year of pharmacy education in India that was started in BHU, Varanasi in 1932. We thought that it would be great to celebrate IPC 2007 in BHU to commemorate and respect the great institution and vision of Mahamana Madan Mohan Malviya. This was also the place where Indian Pharmaceutical Association and Association of Pharmaceutical Teachers of India were born. We are thankful to APTI for agreeing to hold the 2007 congress at BHU, Varanasi, and other confederating association for their support.
Do you think IPC would achieve more relevance in the coming years? How?
Yes. As I said earlier IPC will probably change its shape to suit the future need. But essence should remain the same. To my knowledge IPC with its present form is unique. No other congress brings together so many people and so many exhibitors, thanks to FICCI for their good support.
I shall conclude by saying "come, look, experience, meet, share and push India ahead.'' So that more and more common people get the medicines at an affordable price and at a place which is not far off. It is said that still 77 per cent of our population lives on Rs 20 per day. Let us look at them with a little more concern and passion. It's a daunting task but let us try hand-in-hand. IPC will certainly take care and do its best not only for the industry but also for the people for whom the industry stands specially the poor and downtrodden.