The Bihar state branch of the Indian Pharmaceutical Association (IPA) has welcomed the decision of the union health ministry to amend the D&C Rules, 1945 for making registered pharmacists as competent persons for getting wholesale licences for drugs sales.

In a letter written to the Under Secretary (Drugs), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, the association secretary R. Bandhopadhyaya said that the Bihar IPA is extending full support to the government in amending the D&C Rules. He said the amendment is meant for public health and it is mandatory that only a registered pharmacist should handle the drugs in the retail and wholesale stores.

But, deviating from the stand of pharmacist associations in the country, Bandhopadhyaya said the existing wholesalers should be permitted to continue in their business as they have invested in crores of money. But, he said, there should be a clarification in the rule that how long they can continue whether till their life-time or till the licences expires. A period should be specified for renewal of the already registered wholesalers.

Quoting the provision, “provided that the persons already registered with the state licensing authority as competent person for the purposes of grant of license in Form 20B and 21B or both prior to the coming into the force of the Drugs and Cosmetics (Amendment) Rules, 2016 shall continue to be considered as a competent person for the said purposes”, he said while issuing new licences, the competent person should be a registered pharmacist. But the existing wholesalers must be permitted to continue.

According to him, this amendment in rule 64 of the D&C Rule is a right step towards making India a ‘healthy India’ and that has to be hailed. The Patna based organisation has sought the support of all pharmacists in the state for the government’s attempt.