Pharmacy is a profession which is concerned with the art and science of preparing from natural and synthetic sources suitable and convenient materials for distribution and use in the treatment and prevention of disease. Pharmacist is a person having the knowledge about drugs and is an expert of drugs.
In India, since independence, the pharmacy profession has been more oriented towards products (industrial pharmacy ) and now there is move towards Patients orientation (hospital and community pharmacy). Changes have been brought in the syllabi of D.Pharm and B.Pharm programmes here by the regulatory authorities; but still it is not adequate to cope with the global demand of pharmaceutical care. Therefore orientation of the profession towards both product (drug development process) and patient (pharmaceutical care) is the need of the hour. Our counterparts in developed countries recognized the incompetence of pharmacists in patient care and they have introduced patient oriented clinical / hospital pharmacy (pharmacy practice) programme (professional degree programme Pharm D., or M Sc in Clinical Pharmacy). But now the conventional pharmacy programme (B Pharm or B S in Pharmacy) which gave importance in drug discovery and development has been side lined in most of the foreign universities.
In a perspective vision, the pharmacy education programme in India has to be revamped to meet the global challenges and societal requirements of our nation. Since drug discovery and development process are more technically oriented, and pharmaceutical care is clinical oriented; there shall be well demarked educational programmes in order to cater to the societal commitment of the profession. Suitable modifications of Drugs & Cosmetics Act and Pharmacy Act have to be made to suit the requirements. All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) may regulate the former, while the latter by Pharmacy Council of India.
Proposed pharmacy education programmes: A vision of the future
Technical Degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences ( B Pharm Sc.)
Globally, the development that have taken place in basic, medical and pharmaceutical sciences in pursuit of serving societal need, is mainly technology driven. Development of new chemical entity is based on high throughput techniques and knowledge in molecular biology, biotechnology information technology, phyto-chemistry, quality assurance, pharmacokinetics, pharmacology etc. Development of novel drug delivery system and technology of drugs and cosmetics manufacture are based on classical knowledge and skill in pharmaceutics, technology with, automation and computerization, biotechnology etc. Thus a four year integrated B Pharm Sc. programme, with one year intensive industrial/ R&D training would equip students to face the challenges in pharmaceutical industry and research in the context of WTO and IPR
The core subjects to be included in the curriculum are:
1. Mathematics & Biostatics, computer application
2. Anatomy, physiology, biochemistry , bioinformatics and pharmacology & pharmacokinetics
3. Pharmacognosy including phytochemistry, molecular biology, microbiology, bio technology
4. Pharmaceutical chemistry including manufacture of synthetic drugs and pharmaceutical analysis including modern instrumentation techniques
5. Drug design including computational chemistry and combinatorial chemistry
6. Pharmaceutical techno-logy including physical pharmacy, formulation of drugs and cosmetics, development of novel drug delivery systems
7. Pharmaceutical jurisprudence including GMP, GLP, IPR and industrial management studies including production, project, material and marketing
Professional Degree in Pharmacy Practice: (Pharm D or B Pharm Practice)
The increased role of the pharmacist in healthcare delivery has been recognized world wide and cost effective pharmaceutical care has gained significance. The consultative committee of WHO has emphasized the pharmaceutical care concept and urged the need of reorientation of curriculum of pharmacy education. Accordingly in developed countries a lot of universities started Pharmacy Practice / Clinical Pharmacy programmes in pharmacy education to cater to the need of modern health care system. In tune with this, India shall revamp the pharmacy course and introduce B Pharm Practice or professional degree like Pharm D. The goal specific mission to achieve this requires clarity of vision and political will to bring out the changes.
The four year programme with one year internship in collegiate hospitals shall integrate service of pharmacist with other members of the health care team. The core subjects for the new programme shall be:
1. Mathematics & Biostatics, Computer Applications
2. Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, Bioinformatics, Pathophysiology
3. Basic Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Analysis
4. Basic Pharmaceutics including dispensing, IV admixture parenteral nutrition
5.Pharmacology including extensive study of pharmacokinetics and therapeutics
6. Clinical Pharmacy, Health economics, Drug Information Service, Patient Counseling technique, TDM, ADR Monitoring, Clinical Research- pharmacoepidemiology, pharmacovigilance etc.
7.Pharmaceutical Jurisprudence including GLP, IPR Management studies including project, material and marketing
Pharmacy profession
The minimum educational qualification of registered pharmacist shall be a professional degree in pharmacy. The present diploma holders in pharmacy may be accommodated as assistant pharmacist / pharmacy technician. Suitable part-time or evening programmes shall be framed to help interested D Pharm candidates to upgrade their qualification. Even the present B Pharm degree holders can upgrade their qualification by participating in refresher / continuing education programmes. Suitable syllabus and regulations shall be framed by statutory bodies after amending the Drugs & Cosmetics Act and Pharmacy Act. In curriculum design of technical degree programme, experts from industry & research centers and students shall involve long with academicians. In curriculum design of professional degree programme, there shall be involvement of experts from hospital / community pharmacy, clinician, students along with academicians.
Educational institutions
Vision statement shall describe what the institution wishes to be in the future that is its aspirations. Periodic evaluation of quality and performance analysis of faculty, students, supporting staff and management system etc is mandatory to focus the vision. Then only, the institution will be able to with stand global competition, as there will be foreign universities / institutes having off- campus centres everywhere. The mission of the institution shall indicate the future direction and competence. Management shall have to adhere to the mission of pharmacy profession and shall be committed for consistent quality education and excellence. Institution shall go for certification by NBA, ISO etc.
Innovative educational programmes
a. Institution imparting technical programme in pharmacy shall have facilities for the manufacture or pilot plant manufacture of external preparations, tablets, capsules, oral-liquid preparation, sterile preparations etc, analytical laboratories and facilities for computer-aided drug design and computer-assisted pharmacology /pharmacokinetics experiments etc. so that the students shall get a lot of scope for developing skill and problems solving ability. Group discussions, case study- presentations, role modeling, debate in contemporary pharmaceutical issues etc. would strengthen students' overall capabilities.
b. Institution imparting professional programme in pharmacy shall have well established hospital and community pharmacy services attached to hospital. Involvement of students in community (home) visits, survey related to pharmacoepidemiology, patient counseling , ADR reporting, participation in drug formulary /clinical /therapeutic committee meetings, evaluation of community and hospital pharmacy, preparation of assessment question and model for data collection, professional audit and clinical governance including pharmacy service, mock interviews, case presentation & discussion etc. not only improve students professional competence but social commitment also.
Scientific/logical measures are to be followed by each institution to assess the following criteria.
1. Inputs evaluation (students, staff, material and infrastructure)
2. Process evaluation (teaching and learning process in theory and practical by work auditing)
3. Outputs evaluation (Assessment of students by internal and public examination systems; reliability of systems and results analysis by peer group and students; career guidance & placement analysis; research, publications, fellowships, projects, awards, attendance in refresher course /continuing education programme by faculty and supporting staff; Industry - academic interaction or hospital tie-up and overall assessment of quality assurance by the institution)
Educational resource managment
A paradigm shift from knowledge- based education to competency- based education and periodic performance / work auditing can only make a pharmacy educational institution sustainable, in the present era of globalization. The excellence in education depends on the process of admission, induction of faculty members, availability of infrastructure facilities for teaching and learning and commitment of institution for quality education.
Admission: A common entrance test with aptitude test for the profession shall be carried out for selection of students.
Post-graduate programmes
Specialized higher education as per need of the profession shall be highlighted rather than having classical branches.
Post Graduate program in Pharmaceutical Sciences (M Pharm Sc) :
Novel and need based specialization like: Computational Chemistry, Combinatorial Chemistry, Quality Assurance, Bulk Drug Technology, Synthetic Drugs, Novel Drug Delivery Systems, Recombinant Technique, Proteomics, Parenteral Drugs, Oral Delivery Systems, Topical Preparation Aerosol Technology, Herbal medicine, Marine Drugs, Nutraceuticals, Cosmetology, Pharmacogenomics, Clinical research, IPR, GMP & GLP etc. shall be framed giving more emphasis in projects.
Post graduate / Post doctoral Programme in Pharmacy Practice: (M. Pharm. Practice or Post Doctoral degree / Fellowships)
Suitable specialized training / fellowships in cardiology, pediatrics, surgery and intensive care, obstetrics & gynecology, neonatology, psychiatry, nephrology, neurology, oncology etc. similar to those in faculty of medicine and nursing shall be introduced in a phase manner.
The future of pharmacy education depends on how best our nation prepares the "Action Plan ", with clarity of vision and commitment. Let us hope that by the year 2020, our nation exalts as a global leader in pharmaceutical education by our sincere efforts.
- (The author is pharmaceutical educationist and the article is based on his presentation in the National symposium on "Vision 2020: Towards Global Standards in Health Sciences Education" : held at PSG Institute of Medical Sciences & Research, Coimbatore, during 28-29th September, 2005)