PHARMA INTERVIEW

Dr. Gajanan Ramesh Sonaje

Manager (Formulation Development)

Answer: Inmy view which is very much objective on my behalf is that the pharmaceuticalIndustry in 2020 would face many challenges ahead. It’s on the behalf of thegovernment to introduce reforms in the pharmaceutical sector which has beendriving the economy even when the government has a step motherly attitudetowards the health care sector in budget allocation. Industries have toallocate huge investments in research and development i.e the knowledge sectorto sustain in the market. Health care sector should be given due importance forthe emerging pharmaceutical market to rule the world in 2020 to liberalize thepeople and provide cost effective medications and to reach the unreachable.  

Question: Did Pharma industry isreally helpful to growth of economy?

Answer: Pharmaceutical industry is struggling for reforms. The compoundedannual growth of our economy is 7%.The pharmaceutical sector itself has agrowth rate of 7-9%. Global pharmaceutical market in 2010 is expected to grow4-6% on a constant basis. The changing mix of innovative and mature productsand the rising influence of healthcare access and funding on market demand. Theeconomic climate will continue to be a dampening influence in most maturemarkets, global macroeconomy, the changing mix of innovative and matureproducts, and the rising influence of healthcare access and funding on marketdemand. The economic climate will continue to be a dampening influence in mostmature markets, particularly in those countries with rising budget deficits andpublicly funded healthcare systems.

Question: Is today’s pharmacistlacking in skills & qualities?

Answer: Yes skills are the major laggard which apharmacist struggles to acquire. It is high time on the part of government,educational institutions, varsities and governing council to look into thisissue. 

Question: What is the demand of pharmacist in Pharma Industry?

Answer: Pharmacistsare the pioneers who govern the growth of pharmaceutical industry.Pharmaceutical Industries need the expertise of grooming pharmacists tocontemplate on their growth. All the collaterals in pharmaceutical organizationlike manufacturing, Quality control, Quality assurance, research anddevelopment, knowledge process outsourcings, sales, marketing and managementteam need skilled pharmacist to potentiate their growth.

Question: What are the future courses for B. Pharm. student?

Answer: B. Pharm student has wide scope and options. Hecan opt for Masters in varied specializations of pharmacy.

Question: What is your opinion for education-industry interaction?

Answer: Interactions with industries are bestopportunities which an educational institution can provide students toemancipate and rediscover their skills acquired in college. There should be aperpetual endeavor from the industries on their part to train the students bycollaborating with emerging pharmaceutical industries so as to empower andliberalize them.

Question: Are you happy with the role of pharmacists in thesociety? What is your advice for pharmacists?

Answer: Yes, indeed the pharmacists are doing atremendous job in the society. I would suggest them to continue their effortsin creating a powerful health care sector that would strive to diminish thetribulations of millions of people of our country.

Question: In your opinion what is the main problem of apharmacist in getting job?

Answer: A pharmacist struggles to develop his skills.He combats with the society at each and   every stage for reforms. He is continuously hounded by despair andinsecurity for his position in the society.

Question: What are the career options for a pharmacist in abroad?

Answer: A pharmacist has a wide scope abroad; he hasmany options like he may opt for a carreaer in clinical or hospital pharmacy orresearch options are too many for him to entertain abroad.

Question: What is the current scenario ofIndian Pharma Industry?

Answer: Indian pharmaceutical industry has transformedmanifold. It’s growing on an average with 7% annual growth. It has conqueredthe world in generic space and has been continually providing cost effectivemedications of high quality at reasonable costs in the market space which hasbecome tough for generic players to sustain.

Question: What are the challenges & opportunities of Pharma Industry?

Answer: Sky is not the limit. Pharmaceutical industriesin India are peaking new heights in manufacturing sector. India is the largestgeneric market in the world. Most of the pharmaceutical organization hasundergone mergers and acquisitions to strengthen their presence globally. Butthe challenges ahead are that the generic market is becoming narrow and most ofthe molecules have become off patent and there has been Darwin’s theory sincethen for struggle for existence. So the knowledge sector has to be given it’sdue importance for the development of Indian Pharmaceutical Industries. As wehave felt the same with other sectors like Information and Technology andTelecommunications and investment banking where R&D are given primeimportance.

Question: What are the recent trends in development of Novel drug Delivery Systems? 

Answer: In the present scenario the formulators face anindelible challenge related to drug solubility and drug related adverseeffects. There is huge potential to conquer the aspects of targeting andsustain the release of drug which are the major aspects of constraints inconventional drug delivery. So recent booming trend is to develop drug deliverysystems like lipid based (Liposomes, Niosomes, Microemulsion, Micelles,Nanosuspension) peptides based, Implants, Inserts, Target DDS (Organ, Tissue,Cell, Cell organels) at micromolecular level, medical devices, Transdermal DDS,Nanotubes, Quantum Dotes etc.

Question: Are you satisfied with the role of pharmacist in health care industry?

Answer: A pharmacist imparts a vital role towards thehealth care Industry. He is regarded with higher respect and stature in thesociety in coherence with the doctor. He plays a major role in compounding anddispensing of drugs in hospitals, retail outlets. He even fills the void of aphysician in rural areas. But a pharmacist needs to be trained frequently   to render his duties with perfection.Intellectual development of a pharmacist  to hone his practical and professional skills plays a major impact onhis role towards the society. So, it’s a suggestion from my side to thegoverning authorities and professionals to snook into this matter.

Question: Do you think is there a mushrooming of pharmacy colleges in India?

Answer: Yes, pharmacy colleges in India are escalating.Education is to empower the disabled, but now a days quality is beingcompromised, to educate students is not of prior importance, colleges havebecome an hub for economical growth for business entrepreneurs. It’s reallyhigh time; the adversities of students have grown manifold.It’s better toeducate by increasing the number of colleges but it should not be at the costof quality education. As our students are our future prospects of growth ofeconomy and country inclusively. 

Question: What needs to be done for upliftment of pharmacy education in India?

Answer: Quality education can be attained consistently by immaculate efforts by thegovernment and the Pharmacy council of India by creating an accreditationcouncil and enforcement directorate committee watch dogs in order tocontinuously monitor the excellence of quality education. Students should behoned to gather knowledge by creating a knowledge bank and database frequentlyupdated by emerging industries and eminent professionals of industries.

 Interviewed by: Mr. Kashyap Nagaria,

 Pharma Correspondent, JGPT