Hyderabad, September 05: President K Pratibha Patil called upon the healthcare providers and organizations to ensure that the quality and safety of medicines are not compromised.
Speaking after inaugurating the World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences 2011 and the 71st Congress of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) here on Sunday, she said there were instances of spurious drugs, which are so harmful to health, being produced. “It should not be left to the Government alone to identify such unscrupulous producers. The industry must also have a wing to find out such practices, and bring it to the notice of the Government to take action,” the President asked.
The President said that the role of pharmacy professional have become vital in improving the rational use of medicines. “New drugs are being introduced, which include high tech pharma products, vaccines as well as new dosage forms and new routes of drug administrations. Patients now need much counseling on how to take medicine safely,” she said adding that the pharmacists must have new knowledge and skills and many countries are introducing, expanding and undertaking major reforms in pharmacy education. This must be accompanied by robust systems to assure the quality of educational structures, processes and outcomes.
President Patil said that in India the inflow of pharmacy professionals per annum is around 41,000 from diploma institutions and around 50,000 from degree institutions. The Pharma D. programme has been introduced, as also the National Institutes of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) have been established in the country, to focus on pharmaceutical sciences. “Looking at the future, India is aware of the need to increase the strength of clinically and technologically trained pharmacy professionals, to meet growing requirements, including for its expanding pharma industry,” she said.
Highlighting the statistics, the President said that the Indian pharmaceutical industry has a wide range of capabilities, and is already contributing a substantial share to global production. By 2015, it is expected to become a U.S. $ 20 billion industry, from its present turnover of U.S. $ 12 billion. It is already the third largest in the world, by volume. Indian pharma companies have an extensive presence in many parts of the world, and our pharmaceutical products are known to be of good quality, safety and efficacy. Indian generic drugs have helped in bringing down the cost of treatment of various diseases world-wide, which includes HIV/AIDS.
President Patil called upon the pharma industry to respond to the emerging patterns of diseases, and to growing concerns about disease causing agents becoming resistant to existing drugs. This necessitates increased focus on research and development, including in the newer frontiers of medicine like bio-technology. She hoped that with its proven IT sector, demonstrated leadership in bio-technology, a vast pool of trained personnel and cost advantages, India can emerge as a significant player in global pharmaceutical research.
The conference was jointly organised by the International Pharma Federation and the Indian Pharmaceutical Association on the theme “Compromising Quality and Safety – A Risky Path”. Governor E S L Narasimhan and Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy also participated in the conference.
——Agencies