A collaborative project has been signed by IPA with Commonwealth Pharmaceutical Association (CPA) & International Pharmaceutical Students' Federation (IPSF).

IPA president Subodh Priolkar recently signed an MoU with CPA & IPSF for the "Tuberculosis (TB) Fact Card" project which is an end result of earlier discussions held by CPA, IPA & IPSF at 64th FIP Congress at New Orleans, USA in September, 2004. The project involves participation of the community pharmacists & students & will be piloted in the selective parts of Mumbai & Pune.

The project will involve a training programme for pharmacists to counsel TB patients about their medication and the use of patient-focussed Fact Cards to aid adherence and understanding. Based on the format of the CPA Malaria Fact Cards distributed through community pharmacies and clinics in Zimbabwe, Tanzania and Ghana, the TB Fact Card will also focus on consumer health education. The Fact Card will be designed to promote TB symptom awareness and support patients' long-term adherence to treatment.

The International Pharmaceutical Students' Federation will support local pharmacy students as they plan and implement a TB Awareness Campaign. Local students will also be trained treatment "observers" and will take part in the project to be implemented by community pharmacists participating in the project. CPA will collaborate with IPSF in developing and implementing a TB website and Forum to provide information and promote international discussion, the release stated.

The TB Fact Card will be launched on World TB Day, 24th March 2005 and will be implemented over a period of next six months.