It is a matter of pride that year 2002 happens to be Prof. M L Schroff''s birth centenary year. Prof. Schroff is known as father of Pharmacy Education. The Indian Hospital Pharmacists Association took the lead of celebrating the year by publishing tributes from eminent stalwarts of the profession throughout the year in the Indian Journal of Hospital Pharmacy. 

Prof. Schroff on the call of Pandit Madan Mohan Malviayaji, Vice Chancellor of Benaras Hindu University started a regular B Pharm course of 3 years in July 1937. He organized the profession of pharmacy by instituting IPA, IPCA and IJP. He has been described as the titan and icon of the 20th century by Prof Harkishan Singh, visionary by Prof. S N Sharma, as a disciplinarian by Dr S Rohtagi and a doyen of pharmacy by Prof N S Parmar.

A suggestion was made to IPCA to get a postal stamp released during the 54th IPC at Pune to commensurate Prof M L Schroff''s contribution to the profession of pharmacy and as a freedom fighter. It is regretted that the suggestion has not been well taken and no efforts had been made toward it. Now we look upon Pharmacy Council of India to take initiative for getting postal stamp released in near future, as Prof Schroff had been its first president.

National Health Policy 2001
National Health Policy 2001 was released in 2002, after a gap of 18 years. Unfortunately the policy does not refer to services of pharmacist in healthcare delivery, management and cost effective and rational drugs therapy. The policy should have taken into consideration the role of pharmacist in healthcare system as laid down by WHO. This situation has probably arisen since the pharmacy now falls under the purview of AICTE. 

All over the world, pharmacy is taken as a profession and therefore, should come under the control of Pharmacy Council of India, as is the case with the doctors, dentists and nurses, which are under the purview of respective councils. The health team all over the world consists of doctor, pharmacist and nurse. We should sort out this issue once and for all by bringing pharmacy under PCI since degree in pharmacy shall be the minimum qualification for registration of pharmacists in near future. 

There is divided opinion since academicians prefer to be under AICTE as they get liberal financial contribution. It is suggested that a Pharmacy Grants Commission also be constituted as the proposed Medical Grants Commission, which is part of the health policy. Funds being utilized for the present by AICTE and other agencies are diverted to the Pharmacy Grants Commission for disbursing to the pharmacy teaching institutions. The other alternative could be that the funds be diverted to UGC to take care of this responsibility.

Pharmaceutical Policy 2002
The policy was released in February 2002. For some unknown reasons, the new policy is labeled as `Pharmaceutical Policy 2002'' as against the "Drugs Policy"of 1986 and its revised version of 1994. To my mind, this can lead to lot of complications and implications at a later date. The professionals should take note of this and give their views on the subject. The change in nomenclature may empower the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers to bring under their domain some more activities logically placed, for the present under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.

The present policy no doubt has kept minimum number of drugs under the price control and has also taken a bold step by abolishing industrial license system. It is now for the pharmaceutical industry as well as for the distributors and retailers to follow the ethical practice and maintain competitive price for drugs, within the reach of patients.

Autonomous Pharmacopoeia Commission
The formation of Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission now appears a reality. However, contrary to the expectations, it is proposed to be a ''semi autonomous'' body instead of being autonomous commission. The said semi-autonomous commission would continue to be part of the Drug Controllers Office. It appears that the Indian bureaucracy is trying to sidetrack the valid arrangements in favour of an independent commission. They do not know about complexity of evolving drug standards. In Britian, they realized it in 1920s and we in our country even in the beginning of the 21st century are closing our eyes to it. If the government''s move of having a semi-independent commission succeeds, it will only amount to change of nomenclature from committee to commission without the new body having the necessary powers. The bureaucratic element should be kept out if we mean business. 

The autonomous commission has more relevance in view of globalisation where all pharmaceutical industries have to compete with the developed countries.

ER 2001
It is unfortunate that in our country we have got minimum qualification for registration of pharmacists as Diploma in Pharmacy. The developed countries have got minimum registration qualification as degree in pharmacy. I have come to know that NABP, the body that conducts the foreign pharmacy graduates equivalency examinations is changing entry requirement to take this exam to 5 years BS Pharmacy Degree. This rule comes into effect from January 2003. 

This rule adversely affects graduates from India, Pakistan and other Asian countries and they stand at loss for good and will not be able to get pharmacist license in US. This is to alert Pharmacy academicians to act in appropriate manner. The Nursing Council of India has also taken initiative to insist for degree in nursing henceforth for various jobs.

We are in dilemma since the advanced countries have gone for 5 years course of degree in pharmacy. It may not be possible for us to raise the duration of degree in pharmacy to 5 years in near future since almost all other technical and professional course are of 4 years.Let us now at least be united in making degree in pharmacy as the minimum qualification for registration of pharmacists. 

PCI has already framed ER 2001, which could not be implemented due to resistance from some quarters. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has agreed in principle for its implementation in a phased manner. IHPA as well as other national pharmaceutical associations has sported the move to raise the minimum qualification for registration of pharmacist as B Pharm,. Let all of us work together for implementing ER 2001. The revised course is patient oriented and also meets the requirement of industry.

Minimum standard of Hospital Pharmacy
It is well known practice that all professional and technical bodies like MCI, DCI, NCI, PCI, and AICTE etc lay down standards for the staff, space, facilities required for teaching institutions and attached hospitals or practical training institutions to maintain minimum standards of education. MCI also lays down minimum standards for all the departments of the hospital attached to the medical colleges and it is mandatory to fulfill these conditions before approval is granted. Somehow or other, there have been omission that minimum standards for hospital pharmacy attached to medical colleges have not been spelt out in minimum standard norms by MCI. It is in spite of the fact that 30% of the hospital budget is spent through hospital pharmacy and as many as 90% of the hospital patients do take services of the hospital pharmacy. 

In conclusion, the pharmacy profession has taken right direction for giving priority to pharmacy practice ie, hospital pharmacy, clinical pharmacy and community pharmacy, which have been neglected for the last 50 years. It would be a landmark achievement is we could implement ER 2001 in near future.

--- The author is Pharmaceutical Educationist & Editor, Indian Journal of Hospital Pharmacy