When IPEC India launched a few weeks ago, the stated aim of the organisation was to promote the proper use of excipients in drugs to improve patient treatment and safety in partnership with International Pharmaceutical Excipient Council (IPEC) chapters in the Americas, Europe, Japan and China.
Few additional details have been made public, aside from the fact that excipient manufacturers which want to join will be able to apply for membership "once key administrative functions are completed."
The idea for IPEC India was first suggested about ten years ago along with other chapters in China and South America. However, unlike IPEC China which became a reality in 2008, the launch of IPEC India has taken longer than expected.
Delays
The excipients trade group mooted the idea of an Indian chapter in 2009.
But real progress strated to be made in 2011 when IPEC Federation announced it had started reviewing plans for IPEC India after receiving a formal request for the new chapter.
However, a subsequent prediction that the organisation would launch in summer 2012 proved to be inaccurate.
It was another 18 months before IPEC next spoke about IPEC India predicting, accurately this time, that the India-based excipients organisation would launch by the end of 2013.
IPEC Federation - the umbrella organisation that represents all five IPEC chapters - told in-Pharmatechnologist.com that: "The IPEC Federation has held discussions with IPEC India on its establishment. IPEC India is an individual entity, not a member of the IPEC Federation.
"We expect its mission to be similar to that of the members of the IPEC Federation and that IPEC India will apply for membership in the IPEC Federation in the future.”
Previously, the excipients industry group told this publication establishing new regional chapters is a complex process.
Now it finally is up and running, IPEC India's main focus will be working “toward rigorous increase of membership and achievements of the goals and objectives set forth,” according to Ajit Singh, President, IPEC India and ACG Worldwide Mumbai, India.