New pharma department plans to link up with colleges

The newly-formed Department of Pharmaceuticals has decided to lay emphasis on grooming hundreds of skilled professionals in specific areas of pharmaceutical research, manufacturing and regulation.

While the department, in its earlier existence as part of Department of Chemicals, was responsible for the setting up of National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, the new initiative attempts to form linkages with pharmacy colleges across the country.

The pharma department has sought the assistance of the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) to identify the areas that are facing acute shortage of qualified professionals.

According to official sources, the pharma department will soon set up four task forces, in pharmacology, pharmacovilance, pharmaceutics and pharmacognosy, to prepare road maps for mentoring professionals in these disciplines.

While pharmacology is the study of how drugs interact with living organisms to produce a change in function, pharmacovigilance relates to detection, assessment, understanding and prevention of short- and long-term side effects. Pharmaceutics deals with all facets of developing a new chemical entity into a medication. Pharcognosy is the study of medicines derived from natural sources.

The “Elite College Scheme” of the biotechnology department is a likely model for the pharma department.

It should be noted that the DBT recently became the first scientific department to clinch a research collaboration with Wellcome Trust, a leading international medical research funding organisation. The Union Cabinet had last week approved the institution of a suite of DBT-Wellcome Trust Fellowships at a total cost of Rs 1296 crore with equal contribution from the partners. The programme intends to provide research grants to universities and research institutions in areas of yuberculosis, malaria, etc.

Sources said the pharma department was looking at forming linkages with other scientific departments to provide futuristic solutions to help the growth of the pharmaceutical industry.