Pharma units eye regional trade

The organisers of the Indian Pharmaceutical Congress would use the forum for regional co-operation among the south Asian countries in the area of pharmaceuticals.

A delegation from South Asian countries like Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Myanmar is participating in the 56th meeting of the congress to be held in Kolkata from December 3 to 5 after almost 16 years.

The chairman of the local organising committee Sujan Chakravarty told reporters here than a 150 member strong Bangladesh delegation would lead the South Asian camp.

"India is the leader in pharma industry in the region so we should take the opportunity for greater co operation among us in order to keep the drug prices in check in WTO regime," he said. Delegations are coming from USA, Japan and Denmark too.

Chakravarty said more than 5,000 delegates from industry and universities will take part in the congress. Around 900 scientific papers would be presented at the congress.

It will host a pharma expo that will be organised jointly with FICCI. More than 140 companies will participate including some big names.

Leading manufacturers of machinery and service providers from India and abroad will showcase products.

"The meeting aims at modernisation and updating of pharmaceutical infrastructure base and improve quality of medicine," he added.

Chakravarty said the meeting will take a close look at the expanding role of pharmacists in today's healthcare system.

All the aspects of the healthcare chain from research to computer aided drug design, pharma market research, the pharmacists role in disease prevention and health promotion in India will be discussed at the congress.