IPC, a unique platform for professional interaction
The 72nd Indian Pharmaceutical Congress (IPC), which is taking place after a hiatus of three years, will be a single platform for discussion and interaction for all pharmacy professionals belonging to industry, academia, regulatory, community pharmacy, hospital pharmacy, clinical pharmacy, pharma consultancies and the student community, the chairman of the 72nd IPC, Atul Mandlekar tells Peethaambaran Kunnathoor in an interview.
The chairman of the LoC is the Assistant Commissioner of the FDA Maharashtra and the Officer on Special Duty to the Union Minister of Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari. Excerpts from the interview:
This year’s IPC is organized after a three-year hiatus. So, how will it be different from the past conferences?
This 72nd IPC will be different in many ways. We confirm maximum participation of pharma CEOs, HR and industry professionals. Pfizer India has accepted our request to be a scientific partner. Efforts are progressing to provide best hospitality to all delegates including students. The three-day event will cover interactive sessions of CEO and HR professionals, and the exhibition will have participation of medical devices manufacturers also.
Did you confront any challenge in organizing this year’s event since it is happening after the Covid-19 pandemic?
Yes. Due to Covid-19 pandemic, the dates of this 72nd IPC were finalised during the IPCA meeting held on October 8, 2022. Hence, this IPC got only a limited period of three months for preparation and making arrangements. Otherwise, usually dates used to be finalised at least one year before the event, which is enough for making arrangements and raising funds.
What are the steps taken to make this year’s conference a success?
We are trying our level best and every member of the Local Organising Committee is taking hundred per cent effort to make this 72nd IPC a grand success and a memorable one.
How many delegates and also representatives from abroad are expected for this year’s event?
This year we are expecting around 10000 delegates including guests and speakers. We have also invited around 50 renowned speakers and representative of various pharmacy professional organisations and bodies. So, we expect around 100 delegates from abroad.
What are the focus areas for discussions in various sessions of the IPC? How many symposia and panel discussions have been planned?
The IPC-2023 will provide an excellent platform for deliberation and discussion on some of the latest and interesting developments in the field of pharmaceutical science including medical devices, block chain technologies, artificial intelligence, and automation in pharmaceutical Industry, HVAC / Track and Trace mechanism, MSME, manufacturing industries and packaging industry. The Congress would also touch upon Pharmacovigilance, Pharmacoeconomics, Pharmacogenomics, API and excipients, nanotechnology, medical coding, regulatory affairs, geriatric and paediatric medicare, biosimilars, cancer, cosmeceuticals, nutraceuticals, ayurveda and personalised medicine. This conference will bring together advancements in pharmaceutical, medical and pharmacological sciences, drug discovery, and health education.
We plan for 39 lectures under 13 symposia and plenary sessions. A total 85 speakers/resource persons will deliver speeches in scientific sessions during the three days of the IPC.
How many pre-conference workshops were organized?
Due to time constraints, we did not plan any pre-conference workshop this year.
In what way does IPC help pharmacy education and support pharmacy profession in the country?
The IPC provides one single platform for discussion and interaction to all the pharmacy professionals belonging to industry, academia, regulatory, community pharmacy, hospital pharmacy, clinical pharmacy, pharma consultancies and the student community. The LOC of the 72nd IPC comprises representatives from all pharmacy professions.
How many stalls have been booked already and who are the major exhibitors for the industry exhibition along with the three-day scientific conference?
Around 200 exhibition stalls have been booked so far including stalls of pharma machineries, laboratory instruments, pharma manufacturers, book publishers, pharma excipients, etc. This is the first time IPC expo gets stalls of medical devices.
How far IPC will be helpful in the development of the pharma industrial sector?
We have planned CEO conclave in which ministers from Central and State Governments, DCGI and CEOs of Pharmaceutical Companies have been invited for interactive meetings. We expect that this meeting of policy makers will give the output of concrete resolution related to pharma industry. Further, we are thinking of organising interactive sessions of Pharma CEOs and HR, which will help and motivate the young pharmacists to become entrepreneurs.
