The Jana Swasthya Abhiyan (JSA), the Federation of Medical Representatives Association of India (FMRAI), the National Campaign Committee for Drug Policy (NCCDP) and the All India Drug Action Network (AIDAN), in association with the Indian office of WHO, is joining hands to develop a comprehensive reference volume on the domestic pharmaceutical sector and pharmaceutical policy for the coming decade.

With this view the organizations are jointly conducting a two-day national seminar on 'recent trends in pharmaceutical policy and access to essential medicines' in Kolkata on April 16 and 17. According to the organizers, the seminar will develop recommendations towards formulation of a comprehensive pharmaceutical policy for the coming decade and will present the data to the authorities.

Sources noted that the first comprehensive national pharmaceutical policy was formulated in 1978, and in the last 27 years the national pharmaceutical policy has seen a number of changes through new policy guidelines issued in 1986, 1994 and recently in 2002. In addition, the dynamics within the industry have changed in line with changes in the country's economic policy as well as in response to several global factors. Agreements under the WTO also have a direct and indirect impact on the industry. Policy changes in the last two and a half decade have far reaching consequences for issues related to access, availability, affordability and quality of essential medicines. There are many areas of concern like the issue of prices of drugs, proliferation of irrational and hazardous drugs into Indian market, promotional practices of the Indian pharmaceutical industry, the future trajectory of R&D in the changed economic and industrial climate, the impact of a product patent regime on drug availability and prices etc.

The meeting, participated by activists, academics, industry professionals, R&D scientists etc., will address these issues and allied subjects. The meet will discuss issues related to pharmaceutical policy and draw up recommendations that could feed into the process of formulation of a rational domestic pharmaceutical policy.

Sources said that the FMRAI and NCCDP had organized a similar seminar in 1986, attended by a large number of experts and activists, and the event led to the publication of a book titled 'Drug Industry and Indian People', which is still considered as a key reference book on the pharmaceutical industry. The present meet will also aim to develop a similar data.

The theme for discussion includes foundation of a rational drug policy, global trends in pharmaceutical industry in ethics, R&D and manufacturing, emerging scenario in India, key issues and trends in the pharmaceutical sector in India and threats to a self-reliant industry.

JSA is a network of 18 national networks that are engaged on issues related to health in the country with over 1000 organizations working at the state, district and panchayath levels. JSA is also the Indian chapter of Peoples Health Movement. NCCDP is a network of organizations associated with issues related to pharmaceutical policy and has as its members organizations of workers, scientists, women, students, youth etc., and is a campaign since 1986 for the formulation of a rational drug policy. AIDAN is a platform of activists working on issues related to drug policy and has been active since 1981 in advocating a rational drug policy for India, creating resource material and awareness on related issues. FMRAI is the organization of medical reps with 43000 members and functioning through 287 centers.