The Indian Pharmaceutical Congress Association (IPCA) has announced that the 59th Indian Pharmaceutical Congress (IPC) would be conducted at Varanasi.

Dr H P Tipnis, corporate advisor and former principal of Bombay College of Pharmacy has been selected as the President of IPCA for the next one year. In the closing ceremony of 58th IPC, Prof. Pradeep R Vavia, Professor of Pharmaceutics, University of Mumbai has been declared as the chairman for Scientific Committee of 59th IPC, while A Krishnadev and Athul Nassar would retain the positions of Hon. General Secretary and Joint Secretary respectively.

The IPCA passed a nine-point resolution based on Pharma Vision 2020, assigning a subject committee to prepare a white paper, to be submitted to the Government. The IPCA also passed a resolution requesting the Government to form a Central Drug Administration (CDA), instead of a National Drug Authority (NDA). The name has been changed to avoid apprehension from the members that by suggesting NDA, the body would be administered by civil service personnel, according to Dr B Suresh, president, 58th IPCA.

The resolution also includes suggestion to establish pharmaceutical universities, National Schools of Pharmacies and Centres of Excellence in Pharma research organisations, to promote concept of pharmacy practice at community and hospital pharmacies, to accord industry status to contract research organisations, to promote industry-academy interaction, to encourage pharma exports, to protect IPR with national industry and to nurture herbal drug research in India.