Dr. Rao VSV Vadlamudi, president, Indian Pharmaceutical Association (IPA), has been elected as president of Commonwealth Pharmacists Association (CPA) for the year 2017 – 19 at CPA Conference held at Hyatt Regency, Sydney, Australia from July 28 – 30, 2017.

He is the second Indian professional to be elected as CPA president after a gap of 30 years. The first CPA President from India was late Dr. J.N. Banerjee during the period 1982 – 1987. The UK-based CPA is an organization of Commonwealth professional pharmaceutical bodies and individual members with an objective to empowering pharmacists to improve health and well being throughout the Commonwealth.

Dr Vadlamudi has been President of IPA, from 2014 and will continue till 2018.  During this period, he ably led the Association in organizing hugely successful international and national events including the 61st International Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation (IPSF) World Congress in 2015. During this period, he also initiated advocacy exercises with the Indian government, pushing forth policy inputs and documents, furthering the cause of pharmacists and pharmacy profession in the country.

Under his tutelage, in December 2016, IPA went on to organize another hugely successful mega event, the Indian Pharmaceutical Congress (IPC) that witnessed participation of over 10,000 national and international delegates. His active partnering with leaders of international organizations like FIP, FAPA and WHPA has helped him espouse some of the raging health care issues including tackling Antimicrobial Resistance and Campaign against Drug Counterfeiting globally. An academician and an eminent scientist with impeccable knowledge base, Dr. Rao Vadlamudi has also had a stint with the industry where he has led senior scientists for drug discovery programs in companies like Hoechst India Ltd (Sanofi) and Nektar Therapeutics India Limited.