In an effort to impart the latest methods of community pharmacy services to the retail pharmacists, the Maharashtra State Pharmacy Council's (MSPC) Drug Information Centre (DIC) has started a week-long training course in patient counselling. This is for the first time such a course is being conducted in the country.

The DIC has prepared a curriculum covering various relevant areas as the basic material for patient counselling course, to be carried out in all the registered pharmacy colleges in Maharashtra. The course is organised by DIC in collaboration with Maharashtra State Chemists and Druggists Association (MSCDA) and with the professional assistance of Indian Pharmaceutical Association's Community Pharmacy division.

The topics covered under the course include patient psychology, good pharmacy practices, diabetes and patient counselling, case studies on diabetes, hazards of self medication by patients, cholesterol and heart attack and patient counselling, use of internet and how to refer reliable books, patient instructions, hypertension and patient counselling, compliance, communication skills, misuse of antibiotics, asthma and patient counselling, concept of accreditation, importance of patient counselling, recommending OTC medicines, NDDS and demonstration on how to use them, etc.

The basic structure of the course topics also discusses topics like HIV/AIDS and role of pharmacists, paediatrics, psychiatry, interpreting lab values, concept of pharmaceutical care and health promotion, Sir J.J Hospital experience in patient counselling and models explaining how to take dosage forms through demonstrations and video clippings. The DIC has already completed the course for three batches of MSCDA members, who will be the part of the Association's new limited company venture.

"I think this is for the first time in the country that a drug information centre takes initiative to train the working retail pharmacists to better their services through community pharmacy. This course will be conducted in all the officially approved colleges in the state, through MSCDA," said Dr Sampada Patvardhan, director, DIC, MSPC. The course for the fourth batch of pharmacists will be held in MSPC, Mumbai, in May 2007.

One week after the successful completion of the course, participants have undergone theory and viva exam and the certificate of the course will be sent only to pharmacists who have passed the exams, to ensure the credibility of the course. The DIC has provided training to more than 150 pharmacists since February 2007, according to sources.