The Pharmaceutical Society of Kerala, a subsidiary of Kerala State Pharmacy Council, is planning to establish an academic institution for pharmacy studies and research activities along with its community pharmacy projects by 2007.

The society, formed in 2003 with an idea to gather pharmacists in the state to execute certain professionally motivational programmes, has acquired 5.5 acres of land at Pantheerankavu, Kozhikkode district to set up its academic institution named 'Kerala Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research' (KIPER). The society is planning to focus more on the research activities, including a drug testing laboratory, and innovative projects in the field of pharmacy through the KIPER.

The Government of Kerala has issued NOC to the society to start B.Pharm course from the academic session 2006-07, and the society is planning to approach AICTE for approval in the year 2007. Plans are to complete the first phase of the project, by completing the educational facilities in an area of 30,000 sq. mt. area within the year 2007. The academic institution with Post Graduate research institution facilities is expected to come up with an investment of Rs 3 crore. The society's vision is to commence one academic institution under each university in Kerala in a phased manner, according to sources.

The society, the first of its kind in India, is aiming at establishing modern scientific community pharmacies throughout the state in a professional manner with the dual objective of serving the public and providing job opportunities to the members of the society. The society has evolved a model to provide better drug storage conditions, professional dispensing of prescriptions, patient education and counselling, drug and poison information etc. through its projects.

The society has entrusted various committees to form project reports on the versatile aspects of the project and will soon approach the state government with projects to provide advise, expertise and coordination work for the rejuvenation of government owned paying counters and drug distribution schemes. The society will also show interest to take up the paying counter facilities at government medical colleges and other drug distribution centres, if the government needs an aid, or to join with these projects to provide its expert potential in the field.

"We are also prepared to extend aid to hospitals and pharmacies, in public and private sector, in monitoring the black holes in the pharmacy services provided and to betterment the standards with serious studies and analysis," Prof. K G Revikumar, chairman, Pharmaceutical Society of Kerala told Pharmabiz.

A chain of drug stores, focusing on providing medicines, surgicals, hospitals equipments and health care products in reduced rates will be one of the venture of the society in the community pharmacy sector. A flexible project to provide the services by inter-relating the existing stores, either in private or public sector, and to set up fresh stores in novel areas is ready to be operational.

The society, established with an initial funding of Rs 50 lakh and office facilities from Kerala State Pharmacy Council, aims to collect the funding for the projects from its members and the non-resident Keralite pharmacists. The strategy is to collect funds from pharmacists and to remit back with 1.5% more interest than the normal banking rates, explained Revikumar. The society is also looking forward to collect funds from banking agencies and co-operative financial institutions.