Understanding the need to broaden the knowledge of government drug analysts in efficiently delivering their duties as per the referred Indian Pharmacopeia (IP) standards, Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) recently trained select officials from the central and state government on various analytical instruments at IPC Ghaziabad.

Through this initiative, the Commission aimed at retaining the standards of excellence maintained by IPC, by sensitising them about the skills and methodologies of testing the samples using different analytical equipments. Around 53 drug analysts from 18 states of the country were selected for this training programme, making it a very important project with most number of lab analysts for training to date.

In fact, giving precedence to the importance of accurate drug analysis, Dr G N Singh who is the secretary-cum-scientific director of IPC and the DCG(I) urged on the importance of following the same for better patient safety measures.

Dr Raman Mohan Singh, principal scientific officer, quality manager and co-ordinator, Indian Pharmacopoeia Laboratory, IPC informed that this is the third such training initiative that the Commission has undertaken to highlight the importance of proper analysis for effective healthcare system. He further stressed that the focus of the program was to give hands-on training on various instruments like HPLC, GC Dissolution, IR, UV, AAS, and KF etc to these lab analysts.

“Having absolute expertise in lab analysis is utmost importance for ensuring public safety and security. Thus it is essential to ensure that they are well trained and sensitised with relevant knowledge of all the equipment they are accountable for. In fact, through this programme our aim is also to keep them updated and informed about the policies, procedural changes so that they are adapt to handle situations,” stressed Dr Singh.

He further stressed that to promote effective healthcare system and practices across the country these selected lab analysts were made to undergo a rigorous training schedule for testing the standards of drugs.

The analysts were also sensitised and touched base with some important issues relevant to medical devices and its proposed regulations. They were also given thorough information on the role of IP in ensuring quality medicines, difference between IP and NFI, and regulatory consideration of quality for drug testing among others.