Sheila Dixit, Chief Minister of Delhi, will inaugurate the eighth annual convention of All India Drugs Control Officer's Confederation (AIDCOC), scheduled to be held here on October 10, 2004.

The event, expected to attract hundreds of drug control officials across the country, would also have state ministers for health and industry as guests of honour. The keynote address, based on the theme of the convention "the role of regulatory officers in healthcare," is to be delivered by Ashwini Kumar, Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI).

The technical seminar during the convention would be addressed by Dr R Venketaswaralu joint drug controller (West Zone), CDSCO, Mumbai, Dr Sanjeev Kumar, manager, QA & RA Stericat Gustings Pvt Ltd, V N Seghal, ex-director Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) and Anil Kumar Chawla, vice-president QA & R&D, Panacea Biotech. The topics to be handled by them respectively are 'regulatory facilitators - needs and challenges, medical devices - regulatory issues & overview, Invisible clues in crime detection and vaccines, biologicals and biotechnology products - critical steps of manufacturing and inspection.'

According to S W Deshpande, secretary general, AIDCOC, the convention would attempt to present three issues before the Central Government. This includes the issue of strengthening CDSCO, irrational nature of Central Licensing, and the need for upgrading the technical and legal capabilities of the drug officials.

According to Atul K Nasa, associate secretary, local organizing committee, the event is to take place in FICCI Auditorium, Tansen Marg, New Delhi.

The confederation has been trying to synergise its efforts with professional associations, especially regulatory affairs division and industrial pharmacy division of the IPA and IPGA. The confederation has also introduced awards of excellences to drugs control officials. The "Best Drugs Control Officer Award" at national level is given to an officer during the Indian Pharmaceutical Congress held every year in the month of December. "Best Drugs Inspector Award" at the state level is given to a drug inspector from each state during the annual convention of the confederation.

The AIDCOC also represents its members before the central and state governments of matters of concern. Currently it is pursuing the agenda of establishing an "All India Training Academy" for drug officials. Efforts are on to secure land for the purpose in Mumbai.