Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) has cautioned against the mushrooming of pharma related courses in the country. The PCI wanted appropriate legislation in place to have effective control over such institutes in order to ensure that the training imparted by them are effective and upto the mark.

According to Dr B Suresh, President, PCI, the downslide in the job prospects in IT sector has tempted several universities and autonomous institutions to announce dozens of new courses in pharmacy. There is no mechanism to check the quality and utility of the course content in several such cases, he feels.

Speaking at the Annual Conference of Indian Pharmacy Graduates Association, Dr Suresh wanted courses that offers degrees and diplomas in pharmaceutical engineering, pharmaceutical chemistry, pharmaceutical biotechnology, pharma technology, B pharm in Ayurveda etc. be brought under regulatory scrutiny. He wanted IPGA to take the lead to ensure that such courses are not running against the genuine interests of the profession and the larger interest of Indian healthcare delivery system. Every such new course should get clearance after being vetted by competent authority, he said.

Dr Suresh exhorted Indian pharmacy graduates to obtain the right to information, right to practice and right for self preservation for common good.