The governing body of Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) has given green signal for the publication of Indian Pharmacopoeia Addendum 2005. The Addendum, the third in a row since the last comprehensive revision of Indian Pharmacopoeia, is to be ready in two months. The governing body has also agreed for minor amendments to the structure of expert bodies thereby accommodating more scientific expertise in the commission activities.

According to official sources, the governing body, chaired by Health Secretary Prasanna Hota, was unanimous in its decision to draw scientific talents across the country to be part of the scientific committee of the commission.

The commission had in its first meeting announced the formation of a Scientific Committee chaired by Dr Nitya Anand, eminent scientist and ex-director, Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI). It had also asked a four- member "research committee" to identify eminent scientific personalities to be nominated to the Scientific Committee. The "research committee" members— Dr P R Pabrai, ex-director CIPL, Ashwini Kumar, DCGI, Dr P Rama Rao, Director, NIPER and Dr Nitya Anand, was supposed to suggest the names of 15-24 members who are eligible to be inducted into the scientific committee. Though IPC is yet to announce the list of scientific committee members, several prominent IP experts from industry, academia and regulatory agencies are known to be part of it.

The governing body meeting of IPC also decided to finalise its plans for cooperation with other drug standard setting agencies like US Pharmacopoeia, British Pharmacopoeia etc after further discussions. The chairman is known to have stated that the issue requires further examination.

Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission is a society registered under the provisions of the Societies Registration Act, 1860.