Indian Pharmacy Graduate Association (IPGA) will soon have a permanent office and secretariat in Delhi. The office, to be set up at Mira Bagh on the Outer Ring Road here, will be ready in three months, P P Sharma, President, IPGA informed pharmabiz.

According to him, the permanent office would strengthen the functioning of IPGA and its ability to lobby with the government for more industry-institution interactions. Establishment of more NIPER like institutions and organising public awareness programmes like Pharmacy Mela are among the demands of IPGA.

Sharma felt that R&D and strengthening of HR are the most important areas of focus for pharmaceutical sector in post GATT era. IPGA efforts would be to promote professionalism among pharmacy graduates, he said.

The Pharmacy mela, being worked out by IPGA is a public awareness programme meant to explain the ways in which medicines are made. This would help change lot of misconception about the quality, pricing and manufacturing methods of medicines, he said.

"The new office would help us organize more institution based research programmes that can lead to enhancement of the level of pharmacy education, drug registration analysts and also faculty training", Atul K. Nasa, general secretary, IPGA pointed out.

He felt that such orientation/research programmes would have to get government assistance, as industry is generally not so keen to support research in educational institutions.

IPGA draws its strength from professional pharmacists associated with pharma industry, academics, regulatory departments, production departments, marketing, community, retail and hospital pharmacy. Established in 1973, the association has over 3000 members. Its stated mission is to improve the professional status of pharmacy graduates and to secure their rightful place in pharmacy and allied professions'. The association is one of the constituent associations of Indian Pharmaceutical Congress Association.