Karnataka registered pharmacists press for transparency in profession
The Karnataka State Registered Pharmacists’ Association has pressed for several amendments in the Drugs & Cosmetics Act to ensure transparency in the profession of pharmacy. In a letter addressed to the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, GOI, the newly elected President of the Association Ashokswamy Heroor has emphasised on the need for drug dispensation only by registered pharmacists.

IFPRESS, Klenzaids launch prednisone dissolution calibrators
Klenzaids GMP academy and Indian Foundation for Pharmaceutical Reference Standard Substances (IFPRESS) launched prednisone dissolution calibrators and anti-viral reference standards during the recent Indian Pharmaceutical Congress held in Chennai.

Steering Committee for formation of Pharmexcil
Leading industry associations like the IDMA, OPPI and BDMA have been pursuing the union ministry of commerce to set up a dedicated Export Promotion Council for Pharmaceuticals namely PHARMEXCIL.

Biocon files draft red herring prospectus with SEBI for IPO
Biocon Limited, India’s pioneering biotechnology company, has filed its Draft Red Herring Prospectus for its forthcoming public issue with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi).

NIPER holds parallel session of Indian Science Congress
A parellel symposium of the 91st Indian Science Congress was recently held at the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Mohali, Punjab.

IIPC, Bombay College of Pharmacy hold seminar on biotechnology
The Industry Institute Partnership Cell (IIPC) sponsored by AICTE, Delhi and the Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry of the Bombay College of Pharmacy recently organised a seminar on ‘‘Biotechnology in Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Industry.’’

Forthcoming events
* NIPER to organise workshop on drug discovery

ITM to organise convention on pharma marketing
In order to plan and understand the ways of tackling the challenge of WTO norms in 2005, the Institute for Technology and Management (ITM) in collaboration with FAPCII is organising a value-based, Pharmaceutical Marketing Convention on February 7, 2004 at Hyderabad which is being supported by Hyderabad chapters of IPA and BDMA.

Convergence of Asian and global biotech community
BioAsia, the inaugural biotech event of the Government of Andhra Pradesh, in a brief span of time, has managed to arouse a lot of interest among the scientific community, many expectations from the biotech companies and an unprecedented enthusiasm from thousands of students pursuing biotech courses all over India.