The Pharmacy Council of India (PCI), the statutory body formed to regulate the pharmacy education and practices in the country, is planning to establish a national task force for quality assurance in pharmacy education (NTF QAPE). The purpose of the task force is to oversee the implementation of the PCI's initiative for quality assurance in pharmacy education.

The PCI had proposed to establish NTF QAPE after understanding the need for quality assurance in pharmacy education. The proposal was made six months back for a regulatory framework specifically for pharmacy. Following this a committee was set up which is headed by P P Sharma acting as the Conveyor along with other four members in the team.

Giving further information Dr B Suresh, president, PCI averred, "The committee has already conducted two meetings in the past and would soon have a third round of meeting by mid July. Once the things are finalised we would submit the proposal to the health ministry by September this year. We expect the regulations to come into force by early next year."

The proposed task force would be standing task force and would be responsible for external audit of pharmacy educational institutions. The evaluation of audit could be in the form of accreditation or non-accreditation of educational institutions or in the form of grades. At present pharmacy institutions in India are encouraged to undergo accreditation process with either the National Board of Accreditation of All India Council of Technical Education or the National Accreditation and Assessment Council (NAAC). Both these agencies do not address the role or policy on good pharmacy education and practise, that would incorporate core principles and elements considered essential for an effective approach to pharmacy profession. The task force would develop a national framework for quality assurance and the development of accreditation systems (e.g. development of standards for educational institutions and programmes) in pharmacy education.

The initiative aims to enable the sustainability of a pharmacy workforce that is relevant to local needs and is dedicated to three domains of action namely quality assurance, academic and institutional capacity, and competency and vision for pharmacy education and profession. This task force could have members from the PCI as well as external members. The criteria of nomination or co-option would be on the basis of their expertise. The tenure of the members on the task force could be three or five years and these members would be primarily registered pharmacists and actively involved in pharmacy education/profession and shall not be the inspector of PCI during the said tenure.

PCI should frame regulations for the establishment of NTF QAPE under section 18(h) read with section 10 of Pharmacy act 1948. The same working group with one more addition of persons may be requested to suggest structure of NTF QPA and standards to assess outcomes and may be given six months time to complete the job.

The PCI has already taken up the work of framing regulations for B Pharm and M Pharm programmes. Education regulations are already available for Pharm D Programme.