The co-chancellor of Sri Ramachandra University, Porur, Tamil Nadu Dr S P Thyagarajan called upon the professionals of pharma industry and education to try to convert the newer challenges emerging in the industry into opportunities for the newer generation of pharmacists in the 21st century. He was speaking at a scientific session held as part of the recently concluded IPA convention in Chennai.

Even though the industry is showing significant growth from the beginning of this century, the pharma education is striving hard to keep pace with the industry, he said. Dr Thyagarajan was speaking on the subject, ‘India- going forward as the global pharma destination’.

According to him it is due to the efforts of PCI and AICTE, the industry gets ready manpower requirement and international quality for their products. However, the pharma sector has newer challenges for the 21st century which should be converted into opportunities.

“Today, Indian pharma sector is proud to project USD 100 billion market by 2020 with domestic market of about Rs 55,000 crore with 10 percent annual growth. Export market is projected for around Rs 40,000 crore with annual growth rate of 21.98 per cent. Our track record in generic drug manufacture is being commended worldwide. The present global market for herbal products and medicines amounts to Rs USD 62 billion. However it is expected to increase five fold by 2015 to USD 310 billion. In this situation, the industry’s primary aim should be to assure opportunities for the upcoming pharmacists in the country,” he said.

Dr Thyagarajan, who was previously the vice chancellor of University of Madras, said there are plenty of opportunities lined up before the graduates of pharmacy. The industries’ role is also important. What the industry can do here is, on priority basis they should elevate their quality assurance (QA) or Quality Control (QC) standards acceptable to international agencies for excellence in quality, purity, GMP, GLP etc. by establishing analysis and testing laboratories which would in turn help the growing pharmacists.

In the healthcare system, strategic changes are required to elevate the role of Hospital Pharmacist of every-day relevance to assist the medical doctor because the hospital pharmacist is the best informed qualified drug expert whose advice is crucial for dosage, incompatibilities and side effects of drugs. He can play an important role in hospital pharmacy practice on day today basis.

Based on career scope, the pharma expert cum scientist said, the role of Community Pharmacist , in view of Government of India’s scheme of Rural Health Care Mission, has become multifold from counselling to prescription, follow up and documentation. Hence preparedness for Community Pharmacist has become very important and special training programmes have to be evolved.

As Quality Assurance Health manager, the Pharmacy graduates have an important role in the development of clinical care plans in maintaining QA in health care management of each of the hospitals of the country and may have to become part of the performance evaluation team of the hospitals.

Besides they have roles in production and manufacturing services as chemists, scientists, executive officers, managers, vice presidents, etc, in the sectors of drugs and pharma, cosmetics, transfusion products, biological and biotech products of medical importance, medical devices, surgical products, veterinary medicines, nutraceuticals etc.

In research and development, opportunities are in the divisions of new drug discovery research (NDDR), process development (P&D), and and development (F&D).

In view of the rapid increase of clinical trials in India at a rate of 60 per cent annually, it is estimated that by the end of XI plan, the pharma industry will spend USD 300 million on clinical trials in India. While we have at present 150 CROs in India conducting clinical trials, many more are likely to get into this fascinating area. Pharmacists will have to take a leading role in the area of clinical trials and clinical research, Dr Thyagarajan said.

In addition to this, there are opportunities in academic institutions, Pharma sales and marketing, positions connected with regulatory affairs, pharma transcription services like medical transcriptions, documentation and pharma journalism, consultancy to governmental, non-governmental and industrial sectors and many more.