The Chandigarh-based National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) is conducting a week-long training programme for staff from private testing laboratories from August 23, 2004. This is the eighth training programme under Capacity Building Project of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. About 35 participants and speakers from academia, industry and testing laboratories from across the country are expected to participate in the Good Laboratory Practices workshop, stated a press release.

The topics of discussion includes critical observations during audit of approved private testing laboratories; GLP Guidelines for private testing laboratories; role of private testing labs for pharmaceutical industry and regulations thereof; accreditation & proficiency testing of laboratories; organisation, design & layout of laboratory; internal and self quality audit; documentation and raw data in private testing laboratory; laboratory safety including disposal of biomedical waste management; method validation; calibration of glassware and analytical equipment used for pharmacopoeial analysis; analysis of multi-components drug dosage forms taking specific categories of drugs; method development for non pharmacopoeial drugs and products including preparation of reference standards; qualification of equipment; steps needed to be taken for BET testing in the parenterals; clean room operations in the test for sterility; microbiological assays of vitamins and antibiotics; utilities & limitations of HPLC; basic principles and techniques of GC and IR and information sources on method of analysis.