The Organization of Pharmaceutical Producers of India (OPPI) is organizing an international symposium in New Delhi on April 25, 2008. The theme of the seminar is 'Indian Patent Act 2005 - an Impetus to Science in India'.

The seminar will be supported by NASSCOM, a premier trade body and the chamber of commerce of the IT-BPO industry. The symposium, which will be held on the international IPR Day, will bring together international speakers, IPR experts from different countries and senior Indian government officials from the ministry of health & commerce as well as other industry leaders on one platform.

As a scientific and professional body, OPPI organises platforms on key issues of the pharmaceutical industry and healthcare. This symposium on the Indian Patent Act 2005 will focus on the Indian experience to the Patent Act, followed by discussions on Data Protection as an imperative enabler for R&D; and the various challenges and dilemmas faced in IPR.

The international speakers who are expected to attend the symposium included Jon Santamauro, counsel, Sidley Austin LLP, USA; Shamnad Basheer, research associate, Oxford Research Centre, UK; Dr Stephen C Smith, consultant patent attorney, UK and Dr Heinz Hamman, Beohringer Ingelheim GmbH.

Other important persons who are expected to be present in the symposium are N N Prasad, joint secretary, Industrial Policy and Promotion, GOI; D G Shah, secretary general, Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance; Dr Prabhddha Ganguli, CEO, Vision PR; Dr Surinder Singh, Drug Controller General of India; Rajdeep Sahrawat, vice president NASSCOMM; and Dr Swati Piramal of Nicholas Piramal.