The India Pharma Convention-2012, scheduled in Delhi on February 12, involving experts and policy makers will deliberate on the possibilities of setting up one umbrella regulatory agency for the pharmacy and pharmaceutical sectors under the Department of Pharmaceuticals for better coordination.

The convention is being organised by Udyog Foundation on the theme 'Challenges and Issues in Pharmaceutical Sector in India' at Delhi Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research (DIPSAR), seeking to highlight the different problems faced by the sector.

“At present, there is huge lot of confusion and overlapping by different ministries and departments on the matters related to pharmaceuticals, creating persistent difficulties for the industry. The only option is to have single body for all matters related to pharma and drugs under the Department of Pharmaceuticals. DCGI, NPPA, NIPER, Pharmexcil, IPC, PCI etc should be brought under the same agency for effective coordination and this is going to be one of the major topics of discussion at the meet,” said convenor of the convention Amitav Joyprakash Choudhury.

The focus of the meet will be also on issues like including pharmacy subjects in civil service examination, making a single regulatory council for pharmacy education, recruitment reforms for pharmacy graduates, special policy for revival of small and medium scale pharmaceutical units, setting up of a NIPER in the national capital on the lines of IIT, and formation of a national pharmaceutical policy, he said.

The convention will have sessions on challenges and issues in pharmaceutical education, challenges in drug regulation and herbal industry. Pharmacy Council of India president Prof B Suresh,  Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission secretary Dr G N Singh, Ayush department advisor Dr S K Sharma, NIPER director Dr K K Bhutani, drug controllers, senior officials and industry experts will take in the scientific sessions.