Ayurvedic pharmacy course taught in traditional mode is known as Upvaid. The term highlights ayurvedic dispenser or pharmacist. The course so far has remained in hibernation either due to non availability of job prospects or non-popularity of Ayurveda. Recently, industry has witnessed increasing demand of trained ayurvedic pharmacy professionals.
At present, there are ten thousand pharmaceutical units producing ayurvedic medicines in India. These are meeting the domestic and global requirements. The estimated market of these products is about four thousand crore rupees per year.
Ayurveda education at pharmacy level came into limelight after establishment of Institute of Ayurvedic Pharmaceutical Sciences at Gujarat Ayurvedic University (GAU), Jamnagar. The university took the initiative of introducing pharmacy course related to Ayurveda ranging from diploma to doctorate level. National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Mohali, initiated Masters Program in Traditional Medicine on persistent demand of the industry in 2008.
Courses related to ayurvedic pharmacy
Courses of study in ayurvedic pharmacy as offered in different universities are:
Traditional
1. Diploma in Ayurvedic Pharmacy (D. Pharma) - 2 years
2. Bachelor in Ayurvedic Pharmacy (B. Pharma) - 4 years
3. Master in Ayurvedic Pharmacy (M. Pharma) - 2 years.
Interdisciplinary
1. Master of Science in Medicinal Plants (M.Sc Medicinal Plants) - 2 years
2. PG Diploma in Ayurvedic Drug Standardisation - 1 year.
3. MBA (Pharma) specially designed for Pharmacy graduates - 2 years
4. Certificate course in Ayurvedic Cosmetics -1 year
5. Certificate Course in Phytochemical Techniques – 6 months
Diploma in Pharmacy (Ayurveda) - It is abbreviated as D. Pharm (Ayu). The course trains personnel for consumer sector of ayurvedic drugs. They will be qualified to dispense ayurvedic drugs in hospitals, dispensaries etc., and training shall be imparted for maintaining stores of raw materials & finished products.
Bachelor of Pharmacy (Ayurveda) - It is abbreviated as B. Pharm (Ayu). This course trains individuals to become a good manufacturing pharmacist of classical ayurvedic formulations, a good quality control pharmacist & a pharmaceutical technologist. The candidate can also enter into the services of food and drug control administration of the state.
The Indian Medicine and Homoeopathy Pharmacy Council Bill, 2005
The Indian Medicine and Homoeopathy Pharmacy Council Bill was introduced 2005 in the Parliament. The bill was aimed at to regulate education and practice of pharmacists in Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (Ayush), as there was no standardisation and uniform education system of curriculum available for training pharmacists in the sector. The standing committee attached to the health ministry examined and submitted the report in July 2006, but it has been pending ever since.
Finally the bill was revised by the Ayush department, as per the recommendations of the committee, and was sent to the Ministry of Law and Justice for vetting. The bill was cleared by the law ministry and was ready for submission to the cabinet for final clearance, but the new proposal of National Commission for Higher Education and Research (NCHER) made it totally irrelevant.
With the government firm on its move to establish the NCHER, the much-awaited bill to set up a different pharmacy council has gone redundant. Though a revised bill, the Indian Medicine and Homoeopathy Pharmacy Council to replace the original bill of 2005, is pending for Cabinet approval, the Department of Ayush has dropped it fully in view of the NCHER which will also cover the Ayush courses.
Recognition issues of courses related to ayurvedic pharmacy
The National Institute of Ayurveda is the apex institute for training and research in Ayurveda in India is imparting Diploma in Ayush Nursing and Pharmacy (DAN & P). Department of Ayurvedic Medical Education, Kerala, is offering ayurvedic pharmacy course under paramedical courses. Department of Ayurveda, Government of Himachal Pradesh has created Ayurvedic Pharmacy College at Jogindernagar District Mandi.
Several universities in India are imparting courses related to ayurvedic pharmacy. These courses may be recognised from University Grants Commission (UGC) but there is no apex body like Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) responsible for recognition of ayurvedic pharmacy courses being imparted across India. Bachelor of Ayurved in Pharmacy is included in the degrees specified by the UGC under section 22 of the UGC Act.
Courses like Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (B.A.M.S), Ayurveda Vachaspati (M.D. Ayurveda) and Ayurveda Dhanwantri (M.S. Ayurveda) are recognised by Central Council of Indian Medicine (C.C.I.M), Dept of Ayush. Until The Indian Medicine and Homoeopathy Pharmacy Council Bill, 2005 is implemented; Ministry of Health and Family Welfare need to take concrete steps to stop the unrecognised courses being run by several institutions across India.
Registration issues of ayurvedic pharmacists
In Sri Lanka Consolidated Acts, Ayurveda Act (No. 31 of 1961) - Section 18 states that Council to be the authority responsible for the registration of ayurvedic practitioners, ayurvedic pharmacists and ayurvedic nurses and the regulation and control of their professional conduct.
In India, some State Faculties of Ayurveda and Unani have initiated registration of ayurvedic pharmacists. This is not sufficient to safeguard the future of pass out of courses related to ayurvedic pharmacy. Ayurvedic pharmacy council on lines parallel with apex bodies like Medical Council of India (MCI), Dental Council of India (DCI), Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM), Central Council of Homoeopathy (CCH), Nursing Council of India (NCI) and Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) is must. Students whom pursued ayurvedic pharmacy course from State Faculty of Ayurveda and Unani or Government Ayurvedic College may get employment in government sector. On the contrary, students having passed ayurvedic pharmacy course from Deemed or Private University are finding it hard for recognition and registration in India.
(The author is a herbal consultant based in Mohali, Punjab)