The Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) will have working understanding with all major drug standard setting agencies of the world. The governing body of the commission has given its approval for the move for closer interaction with other scientific bodies for harmonisation of drug standards, it is learnt.

According to highly placed sources, IPC has also been assured complete autonomy on scientific matters. The government control over the commission would be restricted to financial and administrative matters. The IPC would also invite more scientific professionals into its fold to be part of extended sub-committees, to be set up on specific areas of drug standard setting.

As per the decision, IPC will work very close with United States Pharmacopoeia (USP), British Pharmacopoeia (BP) etc. The commission has also taken a positive view on the presence of its members in the advisory boards of other pharmacopoeia, sources informed.

"On scientific matters, the decision of the research committee would be final. This would put an end to all the complaints regarding the autonomy of the commission. There will be full autonomy in the functioning of the commission", sources said.

The IPC had recently given a green signal for the publication of Indian Pharmacopoeia Addendum 2005. The governing body had also agreed for minor amendments to the structure of expert bodies thereby accommodating more scientific expertise in the commission activities.

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 comprises Dr P R Pabrai, ex-director CIPL, Ashwini Kumar, DCGI, Dr P Rama Rao, director, NIPER. 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.

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