Pharm D programme will be launched for the first time in Kerala with the commencement of the course at the School of Pharmacy of the Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi on July 31.

This will be the first batch of the integrated program in the state after the Pharm D course was launched in the country by Pharmacy Council of India in May 2008.

The School of Pharmacy of Amrita Institute got permission to start the two programs, Pharm D regular and Pharm D post baccalaureate from the Pharmacy Council. Thirty students have been admitted for the six year course and 10 students for the three year Pharm D.

The PCI gave permission to two more colleges to start the integrated course but they have to wait till they fulfill the admissions of students from merit quota as per government rules. The colleges are National College of Pharmacy, Kozhikodu and Al Shifa College of Pharmacy, Perinthalmanna in Malappuram district. Both the colleges are affiliated to Calicut University and are permitted to hold the six year program only.

Since Amrita Institute has the status of Deemed University, its School of Pharmacy can begin the courses without any delay.

According to sources from the institute, state co-operation minister G Sudhakaran will inaugurate the launching ceremony. President of Indian Pharmaceutical Congress 2010, Prof S L Nasa will be the chief guest in the function. Dr R Manavalan, principal of the College of Pharmacy, Annamala University, Dr Surulivel Rajan, HoD, Pharmacy Division, Manipal College of Medical Sciences, Dr T K Revi, principal, Sri Ramakrishna College of Pharmacy, Coimbatore and Dr K G Revikumar, principal, Amrita School of Pharmacy will speak on the occasion.

Even though the AICTE has from this year hiked the number of student intake for B Pharm and M Pharm courses, the PCI has not increased the number of students to be admitted for the two Pharm D courses. Since the Pharm D programme is under the control of PCI, the students joining for the course are not eligible to get monthly stipend from the Human Resources Department distributed through AICTE. Those Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test qualified students are eligible to get Rs 8000 per month towards stipend for their PG term. Since Pharm D is not recognized as a PG course by any university, the students cannot avail this benefit.

Even if the course is considered as a prestigious one, it is not treated as a paramedical course by the universities of India as it is neither a PG course nor a bachelor course. There are many panic questions started coming from the students who have already joined the course in various colleges.