UGC Chief Urges Cost-Effective Medicine Production

Calling for transformative innovations in pharmaceutical formulations alongside cost-efficient manufacturing architectures, the University Grants Commission (UGC) of Bangladesh has underscored the necessity of keeping life-saving drugs affordable for all socioeconomic segments. Speaking as the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony of the International Conference on Pharmaceutical Sciences (ICPS-2026) on 10 October, Saturday, at North South University (NSU), UGC Chairman Prof. Dr. Mamun Ahmed emphasized that scientific discovery must remain tethered to broad human accessibility.

Addressing international scientists and industry leaders, Prof. Dr. Mamun Ahmed noted that artificial intelligence-driven molecular docking, nanomedicine, and precision targeted therapeutics are charting unprecedented frontiers across contemporary pharmacology. These advanced technological interventions are poised to play critical roles in combating complex, chronic pathologies, including malignancies. However, he cautioned that researchers must calculate industrial production overheads and synthetic scalability from the earliest phases of development to prevent life-saving treatments from remaining the exclusive privilege of affluent communities.

The UGC chief urged emerging scholars and student researchers to anchor their scientific inquiries in human welfare. He reiterated that upholding rigorous data integrity, research ethics, and institutional transparency remains non-negotiable in sustaining public confidence regarding therapeutic efficacy and biosafety.

Jointly organized by North South University and Malaysia's Universiti Malaya under the theme "Innovations in Pharmaceutical Sciences for Global Health Advancement," the three-day academic symposium runs from 10 to 12 October. The international assembly convenes educators, pharmacologists, researchers, and students representing 11 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, India, and Sri Lanka.

Chaired by NSU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Abdul Hannan Chowdhury, the opening session featured addresses by NSU Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences Chairman Prof. Mohammad Hossain Shariare, Universiti Malaya representative Dr. Mohammad Fauzi Abdul Jali, and NSU School of Health and Life Sciences Dean Prof. Dipak Kumar Saha. Members of the NSU Board of Trustees, Benajir Ahmed and M. A. Kashem, attended the proceedings, while Pro-Vice-Chancellor Prof. Naser U. Ahmed delivered the vote of thanks. The conference encompasses technical research presentations, poster evaluations, and strategic dialogues designed to bridge academia with commercial pharmaceutical pipelines, official sources confirmed.

//DBTech/IHU/MNP/BPO//