In a battle against AICTE for getting the exclusive regulatory powers over pharmacy education in the country, the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) has got support from some unexpected quarters. The Indian Pharmaceutical Association (IPA), representing more than 11,000 pharmacists in the country, has urged the Union government to appoint IPC as the sole authority to regulate pharmacy education in the country.

In a letter to the Union Ministry of Health, IPA president Subodh Priolkar said that, there is a serious dichotomy in the pharmacy education system in the country. Presently pharmacy education and profession in the country is being regulated under two different statutory authorities of PCI and AICTE, working under two different parent ministries of HRD and Health. This dual regulation is leading to dilution of educational standards and adversely affecting the quality of training being imparted to pharmacy students, which in turn is affecting the profession and public health at large.

Asking the government to put an end to the present dual regulation in pharmacy education in the country in the interest of thousands of pharmacy students, the IPA said, that a lot of energy and efforts are being wasted due to the present dual regulation. Today most of the human resources and efforts are focused on neutralising the side effects of this dual regulation like confusion, litigation, etc. As a result, key areas like upgradation of professional standards, preparation of vision and strategy to face global competition and professional excellence are being sidelined.

"We strongly feel and suggest that the need of the hour is that the present dichotomy in the regulation of pharmacy education and profession should be done away with immediate effect and regulation of pharmacy education and profession being a health subject should be vested to Pharmacy Council of India alone, a statutory authority under the Pharmacy Act since 1949 as being already done in respect of all other health courses like medical courses by Medical Council, dental courses by Dental Council and nursing courses by Nursing Council, etc", the IPA letter said.

Emphasising the role of the pharmacists in the healthcare industry, the IPA said, pharmacy is a health subject and pharmacist being an interface between the doctors and the patients is an important member of the healthcare team.