The Tamil Nadu branch of the Indian Pharmaceutical Association (TN IPA) will celebrate the 54th National Pharmacy Week on November 23. However, this time the organisers are not giving much importance to pharmacy educational institutions in the state, but taking support from the industry and regulatory agencies.

Until last year, TN IPA was celebrating the week with the full support of educational institutions and the students and faculties members. All over Tamil Nadu there are more than 40 pharmacy colleges giving education on various subjects in pharmacy and in allied subjects.

It is alleged by academic sources that since most of the leaders of the TN IPA are industry captains, they want to please the regulatory officials, hence the regulators have been given roles in the programmes.

As part of the celebration of this year, TN IPA is organising a talk on the subject, ‘Responsible use of medicines, Role of pharmacists’ at hotel Savera in the city. The president of the state branch of the Indian Drug Manufacturers Association (TN IDMA), S.V. Veeramani will preside over the meeting. Since the subject is entirely academic oriented, a faculty member from an educational institution has been invited to deliver a talk on it. Dr. S. Sriram, head of department of pharmacy practice at College of Pharmacy in Coimbatore is the academician invited to talk on the subject, IPA sources informed.

Since the organisers of the programme are mainly industry leaders, other speakers on the subject are from the regulatory side. The director of Tami Nadu drugs control department, S. Abdul Khader and Dr. S. Manivannan, deputy drugs controller, CDSCO, south zone will also share the dais, sources said.

President of TN IPA, M.M. Yousuf, secretary J. Jayaseelan and vice-president Dr. T. Revichandran are expected to attend the function. The Tamil Nadu Pharmacy Council has no significant role in the function. However, the president of the Council has been invited to announce the awards of this year.

The organisers claim that the Tamil Nadu Pharmaceutical Welfare Trust, Tamil Nadu Pharmacists Association, IDMA TN branch and Tamil Nadu Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Associations are supporting the programme.