The Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) has given three months more time to the industry to adopt the latest edition of the Indian Pharmacopoeia. This would mean that the effective date of adoption of the document will be from July, instead of April.

The IPC decided to defer the date upon the requests and suggestions from the pharmaceutical associations in this regard. The IP 2007, released in December, was scheduled to be put into effect from April 1 as per the initial plans. However, the industry bodies like IDMA and other stakeholders have represented before the IPC, citing the practical difficulties for many of the units to clear their backlogs, inventories and stocks before implementing the new standards set in the IP.

"Considering their problems, we have decided to give three months time more. But after that, it will be implemented strictly and fully without any further discussions,'' said IPC sources. Already 40-50 per cent of industry has adopted the new document and the standards were being followed. IPC would write to all State drug controllers to make it mandatory for the drug manufacturers to follow the pharmacopoeia standards from July.

Meanwhile, taking into consideration the suggestions, complaints and minor technical errors pointed out by the industry and academics, the IPC will publish a list of amendments separately by next month to keep it updated.

IPC sources also said the IP 2007 had been formally launched in all parts of the country and was received well by the stakeholders. Special efforts were also being taken to curb the piracy of the document.

The fifth edition of the Pharmacopoeia, marked with many new features, comes in three volumes and has over 1600 monographs. It has been prepared in a user-friendly format by avoiding cross referencing.