Bangladesh and Nepal are soon expected to join the South East Asian Regional Pharmacy Forum (SEARPharm Forum). The Forum has five founder members namely India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Indonesia and Bhutan.

The WHO-SEARO will support projects in the region through Forum on improving accessibility of medi-cines, training of professionals, development and implementation of GPP, survey on pharmaceutical education regulation, curriculum reforms vis-à-vis WHO document, HIV/AIDS, counterfeit medicines etc. for country project or individual efforts.

The first annual Executive Committee meeting of SEARPharm Forum was held recently at WHO-SEARO, New Delhi. The FIP President, Dr. Peter J. Kielgast, WHO-SEARO EDM Dr. K. Weerasuriya, President SEARPharm Forum Ahaditomo (Indonesia), Vice President Dr. Songsak Srianujata (Thailand), Executive Committee Member Prof. Tuley De Silva (Sri Lanka) and IPA representative D. A. Gundu Rao, SEARPharm Forum Professional Secretary Prafull D. Sheth and Prasad Reddy attended the meeting.

The Forum monitors and campaigns against the illegal, substandard and counterfeit drugs in the region and eradication efforts by implementation of Good Pharmacy Practices. In the first annual executive committee meeting, the Thai system of accreditation of pharmacies and GPP was explained by Dr. Srianujaa.

Radical changes which have taken place in the WHO Essential Drug Policy 12th revision were highlighted by Dr. Weerasuriya. The policy takes into account evidence, criteria, health economics, compulsory licensing, parallel imports, generics, survival curves dealing with HIV/AIDS medicines, TB combination drugs for increased compliance and bioavailability and Malarial combinations were explained.

On this occasion Dr. Peter Kielgast released the document "Guiding Principles for Pharmacists for HIV/AIDS in India" and congratulated Sheth for his efforts. He encouraged the members in taking up such projects in the region.

Brijesh Regal and Dr. D. B. Ananth Naryana were invited to make presentations on the work being done by their groups in respect to GPP and Good Storage Practices Guidelines in India respectively.