The health ministry would promote any move from the industry that aims at making drugs accessible to the larger sections of the society, P K Hota, secretary, ministry of health and family welfare said. The need for bringing more drugs under the "house hold remedies" category for dispensation from any retail outlet would also be examined by the government, he assured.

Speaking at the International Conference on 'Responsible Self Medication – First Line of Health Management' organised by Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India (OPPI) here on June 11, Hota said that the beginning of all such measures would be possible after the government sets in place a drug control administration of international standards. The attempts are on the way and India will have a state of the art drug administration mechanism in place by 2006 end, he said.

Ashwini Kumar, Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), who chaired the first session of the conference felt that the over reactive media and ill informed opinion makers have compelled the drugs regulatory body to go slow on several decisions. He felt that the issue of bringing more drugs out of prescription list couldn't be considered without detailed discussions. The ground realities should be kept in mind, he said.

Dr Y K Gupta, director, Industrial Toxicology Research Centre presented his views on the social and economic value of responsible self medication in an Indian perspective. Dr David Webber, Director General, World Self Medication Industry, France gave a global perspective.

The other speakers at the conference were Dr David Parsons, Director, International Regulatory Affairs, GSK Consumer Healthcare, UK, Ulf A. Winberg, Chairman, WSMI & President, Wyeth Consumer Healthcare, USA, Dr Sanjiv Malik, President – Elect, Indian Medical Association, Bejon Misra, CEO, Voluntary Organisation in the Interest of Consumer Education, Medh Kinjal, CEO, FCB Ulka India, Leanne Cutts, Vice President Marketing, GSK Consumer Healthcare Ltd, India and Abhijit Sanyal, CEO, Boots Piramal Healthcare Pvt Ltd. A pre-recorded video message of Dr Lee Jong Wook, Director General, WHO was also played at the conference.

Dr Ajit Dangi, Director General OPPI made the opening remarks. Bharat Patel, Chairman OPPI OTC Committee & Chairman, P&G Hygiene & Healthcare Ltd welcomed the gathering. Homi Bhabha, director, OPPI, proposed the vote of thanks.