The efforts of the Kerala State Pharmacy Council (KSPC) to implement Pharmacy Act in the medicine retail sector by appointing pharmacy inspectors are facing stiff opposition from the drugs traders.

Kerala State Chemists and Druggists Association (AKCDA) has decided to hold a protest meeting on July 29 in front of the council office at Thiruvananthapuram demanding to stop the pharmacy inspectors' present way of conducting inspections at the medical stores, said AN Mohan, president of the association. He has alleged that on the pretext of inspections, the pharmacy inspectors are really torturing the traders and their checking is in addition to the ongoing daily inspections of the drugs control officials.

According to him, the drugs sale business mainly depends on the licence issued by drugs control department. But, in addition to that, it requires licences and registrations from other 19 departments including local bodies, sales tax, labour, excise, legal metrology, etc. There is no other business legally restricted like this in the country. Even then, the drugs traders are facing various kinds of inspections from different departments every day.

The traders’ body and the state pharmacy council have started to lock the horns for the last one year when the council appointed inspectors as per Section 26 of the Act. As the inspectors’ work progressed, it sparked an open fight between the statutory body (KSPC) and the traders body.

B Rajan, president of state pharmacy council said the council is not against the traders. It is only implementing the provisions of the Pharmacy Act. The pharmacy inspectors were appointed with the permission of the government, and also on the instruction of the State Human Rights Commission. Pharmacy Practice Regulations 2015 have become effective in the country from January this year and the council is bound to follow it.

Briefing Pharmabiz about the protest meeting of AKCDA, AN Mohan said as per Pharmacy Act, the pharmacy inspectors are supposed to inspect the places where mixing or compounding of medicines is carried out. He said AKCDA is not resisting any implementation of any act, whether it is Pharmacy Act or D&C Act. But the way the pharmacy council is implementing it is objectonable.

“AKCDA will welcome and support any act or rule in respect of drugs distribution. We are not against inspections at the drug stores. But, the pharmacy council should have discussed with us before implementing the Act. Both the organisations are working in a democratic set up. The way the council implementing the Act is undemocratic, it should be transparent and the council should cooperate with the traders’ community which comprises more than 15000 self employed, qualified pharmacists whose services are for the ailing community. Besides, they are also tax payers to the government,” said AN Mohan.

Recently, the pharmacy council inspectors carried out team inspections in 479 centres including medical stores, hospitals and clinics, and 279 violations of provisions of pharmacy act were reported to the council. The council imposed a small sum as fine on the violators, subsequently suspended registrations of three pharmacists. This has infuriated the traders and their association has decided to fight against the council.

The president of the council said the pharmacy inspectors are checking whether the medicines are dispensed by qualified pharmacists, all the pharmacies have appointed registered pharmacists and whether the photo and certificate of one pharmacist is displaced in more than one pharmacy. This inspection is carried out as per the newly introduced Pharmacy Practice Regulations in the country. He further said the council is always ready to discuss with the traders.

Kerala is the first state in the country having pharmacy inspectors in all the districts in addition to drugs inspectors of the state enforcement agency.