The International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) is to approach the World Bank to make available funds to check counterfeit drug manufacture and sale in developing countries. The FIP would help World Bank create specific funds for the purpose, says Dr Peter J Kielgast, immediate past president, FIP.

Addressing the first international workshop on Quality Assurance and Compliance organized by South East Asian FIP-WHO Forum of Pharmaceutical Associations (SEARPharm Forum) here on June 9, Dr Kielgast identified counterfeit drug issue in India as a major problem. "Counterfeiting of drugs in India is more of a political problem. Its high time the pharma companies recognized that only high quality drugs could bring in high returns. The pharma industry should sensitize the political leadership of introducing stringent laws to regulate counterfeit of drugs", he opined.

"India has, like most of the developing countries, failed to address the issue of making quality drugs accessible to common man. The country should change with times and should adopt the rules of the day."

However Dr Kielgast was all praise for the excellent drug distribution network in the country. "Indian distribution chain is excellent. What it lacks is a close cooperation among the three healthcare professionals viz the doctors, the nurses and the pharmacists for ensuring quality supply of medicines" he said.

Mohammed Razdar Khan, director, Synergex Group and Chairman, Canadian Programming Steering Committee of DIA, Canada delivered the keynote address.

The workshop attended by pharmacists, pharmaceutical scientists, regulators, teachers and students had technical sessions on cGMP compliance - drug regulatory audits and strengths & weakness of the pharma industry, GMP and Compliance in Pharmaceutical Manufacturing, Detection of Counterfeit drugs, Demystifying ICH Q7A , and Quality of Pharmaceutical care.

A panel discussion to prepare a "roadmap for quality pharmaceutical products in SEA region" was also organised.

SEARPharm is the sixth regional wing of FIP, which has long been a unifier of national pharmaceutical organizations and is one of WHO's most abiding collaborators. FIP, which was granted NGO status by WHO in 1948, has a total membership of approximately 1 million pharmacists from over 70 countries.

SEARPharm Forum was established in June 2001 with national pharmaceutical associations from Bhutan, India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand as founding members. Subsequently, pharmaceutical associations from Bangladesh, Korea, Maldives, Myanmar and Nepal also joined the group. The forum encourages and support dialogue and collaboration among national pharmaceutical organizations in the WHO-SEA region.