The 11th annual convention of All India Drugs Control Officers Confederation (AIDCOC) 'AIDCOC Convention 2008' is being held today at Indira Gandhi Institute of Research Development in Mumbai. The two-day convention will be inaugurated by Manoharraoji Naik, minister for food and drugs administration, Maharashtra.

The objective of the convention is to update professionals in regulatory agencies, pharmaceutical industry and distribution network about advances in the area of pharmacotherapeutics. The convention will also provide an interactive platform to the professionals from regulatory agencies and pharmaceutical industry to share their views, convention organizing committee chairman SA Momin said.

Baba Siddiqui, Minister of state for food and drugs administration, Maharashtra, Amitabh Chandra, principal secretary, medical education and drugs, Maharashtra and Dr B Suresh, president, Pharmacy Council of India will be the guests of honour in the event.

The AIDCOC Convention 2008 is hosted by the FDA Class I Officers' Association and Drugs Inspectors' Welfare Association (DIWA), Maharashtra state. The 2-day scientific programme will begin with a keynote address by Dr Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, chairperson and managing director, Biocon on the theme of 'Better healthcare through innovations in pharmaceuticals'.

During the scientific programme, experts from the field will share their knowledge with the delegates on various subjects such as, incentives to innovations through intellectual property rights, stem cell - emerging therapy, innovations in packaging, quality risk management, supply chain management and international regulatory harmonization. There will be panel discussion on 'Indian healthcare scenario-vision 2020' and "Acquiring competitive edge through innovations".

More than 200 Drugs Control Officers from different states and more than 200 professionals from pharmaceutical industry, blood banks, clinical research organizations are expected to attend the convention.