The Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) will soon have an IPC working study group in Goa that will be set up to address the IP related issues within the state. This study group in Goa will be the first state working group set up by the IPC in the country. The group will be headed by Salim Veljee, director, Goa Foods and Drugs Control Administration with the aim to give the stakeholders from the state more say in the activities of IP.

The decision to have an independent study group in the state was announced by Dr G N Singh, secretary and scientific director, IPC at the one-day interactive seminar that was organised on January 21 in Goa to launch and create awareness about two if its products, IP 2010 and National Formulary of India (NFI).

Dr Singh informed, “There are about 70 manufacturing units in the state, most of which are approved by the US FDA, UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) etc. Our initiative through this is to ensure that all the manufacturers in the state are meeting the parameters of quality medicine, enhance the export potential of the state as well as understand their problems and solve it simultaneously.”

The study group which is expected to be functional by February first week aims at establishing continuous interactive session with the stake holders in the state. It will consist of local members from the industry who are experts in the subject matter. Through this the stakeholders would be able give their representation and suggestions to the IP directly.

Veljee informed that he is waiting for the letter from the IP commission so that he can soon have meeting with all the stake holders on the same and select four to five prospective members who are experts in the field to assist to him in the working of the study group.

“We will be addressing the problems of the stakeholders in the state and will try to understand the challenges faced by them and solve them without taking the issue to the main centre. This group will act as an effective means to resolve the issues of the stakeholders on a regular and faster basis within the state,” Veljee said.

Dr Singh informed that following the Goa chapter, the IPC also plans to start similar kind of group in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh followed by Chennai in future.