To generate awareness about the pharmacoeconomics programmes and also to promote research activities in this field, experts in pharmacy education in the country have made a proposal for the formation of a 'National Association for the Promotion of Pharmacoeconomics and Research Activities'.

A proposal in this regard was put forth by experts in the field of pharmacy education at a workshop organized by Amrita School of Pharmacy, Kochi, Kerala on 'Pharmacoeconomics in Indian Healthcare' recently. There was an open discussion on the need for a national association for the promotion of pharmacoeconomics and research activities in the country. The workshop concluded with a proposal for starting an association for Pharmacoeconomics.

Major objectives of the proposed pharmacoeconomics association will be to generate awareness about the pharmacoeconomics programmes; promoting research activities; publication of journals; conducting workshops, promoting academic programmes, publication of textbooks; and making pharmacoeconomics as a super specialty course.

Dr Pippalla Rao, principal, Vignan Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hyderabad, was unanimously selected as the president and Dr Guru Prasad Mohanta, professor, Dept of Pharmacy Practice, Annamalai University, Tamil Nadu as the secretary of the ad Hoc committee for starting the association respectively.

Dr Pippalla Rao, former professor & director of R&D, Hawaii College of Pharmacy, USA has wide experience in teaching Pharmacoeconomics & Clinical outcome Research. Dr Guru Prasad Mohanta, former National Technical officer, (Essential Drugs and Medicines), in the WHO – India Office at New Delhi had taken much effort to bring out Pharmacoeconomics as a super specialty in India.

Experts feels that with significant growth and development over the past 30 years, the profession of pharmacy has evolved a new concept called pharmaceutical care. The goal of pharmaceutical care is to improve patient health outcomes by ensuring, safe, and cost-effective drug therapy. To provide quality patient care with minimal resources is a challenge for healthcare professionals in today’s cost-sensitive environment. Pharmacoeconomics is focused on the principle that choice must be made according to the best available resources and the decision making in healthcare should consider both cost and health benefits. With the recent development in pharma education, Pharmacoeconomics has become an emerging area with lot of scope for research activities.