The health department of the Assam government has partly considered the request of the state pharmacy council (APC) regarding implementation of the Pharmacy Practice Regulations 2015.

The government has directed the council registrar to intimate the health department the actionable points of the Pharmacy Practice Regulations (PPR). The government will consider it favourably for the purpose of making the distribution and sale of drugs in the state smooth and authentic under the supervision of registered pharmacists. Consequently, the Council has sent a proposal including three provisions in the PPR to the deputy health secretary, P. K. Sarma, registrar-cum-secretary of APC informed Pharmabiz.

The proposal includes the sections 3.3 and 5 in Chapter 2 of the PPR and sent it for the approval of the government. The section ‘a’ of 3.3 says that the name of the owner of pharmacy business should be displayed at or near the main entrance of each premises in which the business is carried on.

Secondly, it says that the name of the registered pharmacist along with his registration number and qualification along with his/her photograph should be displayed adjacent to the area where dispensing is carried on in the pharmacy. Registered pharmacist should also comply with a dress code, wearing clean white overall coat, with a badge displaying the name and registration number.

Section 5 of the chapter mandates the pharmacy inspectors to inspect the pharmacies. The owner/registered pharmacist should allow and co-operate with the inspectors appointed under the Drugs & Cosmetics Act, 1940 and section 26A of the Pharmacy Act, 1948 by the state pharmacy council to inspect premises where drugs are compounded or dispensed.

Whereas, the Council has ignored other valuable provisions of the PPR in its proposal given to the government for consideration. The pharmacist community in Assam has raised objections against the registrar for sending a few provisions to the government for approval rather than sending the PPR as such.

The registrar, while speaking to Pharmabiz over telephone, said the state pharmacy council in its meeting held on 7-2-2015 discussed the matter of appointing pharmacy inspectors following the introduction of PPR by PCI and a decision was taken to appoint inspectors one by one. Consequently, one inspector was appointed for the district of Chirang. But, due to stiff opposition from the association of drug inspectors and also from a few number of members of the pharmacy graduates association, the appointment was withdrawn.

He said the council has conducted a district wise survey in early this year in order to find out the number of registered pharmacists and pharmacies. According to the survey, there are only 7000 genuine pharmacists in Assam, but more than three thousand quacks are running pharmacies in the state.

The president of the council, Anil Sarma, said the executive committee meeting of the council will be held on 19th of next month and a decision will be taken in the meeting to implement the PPR in Assam.