In order to keep a check on the offending drug retailers, the Delhi Pharmacy Council (DPC) is planning to take forward the long pending demand for appointment of pharmacy inspectors with the union ministry of health by the end of this month.

Says S L Nasa, registrar, DPC, "There is a need for appointment of pharmacy inspectors as over 8000 drug retail stores require inspections for compliance under the Pharmacy Act, 1948. Pharmacy Act provisions for appointment of pharmacy inspectors under Section 26 A to keep a tab on the offending chemist or doctor for proper dispensing and compounding of medicines under Section 42 of the Act."

Delhi has more than 8000 retail pharmacies and over 400 healthcare institutions including corporate and government hospitals with no pharmacy inspectors. There is a requirement of one pharmacy inspector in each of the nine districts of Delhi as of today.

"The proposal for appointment of pharmacy inspectors was submitted to the Health Ministry five years ago and the proposal is still under consideration," he added.

Highlighting the operational lacunae in not being taken up seriously by the government, he explained that a drug inspector appointed under Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 inspects retail pharmacies and the pharmacy inspector's job is only a duplication of the same without power.

As per the Pharmacy Act, pharmacy inspectors are supposed to report the matter related to offences to the pharmacy council and can't exercise similar powers like suspension and cancellation of licenses for violation as given to drug inspectors under the D&C Act. Besides this, taking the legal aspect in consideration, prosecution can happen only after the approval by the respective state council.

At present, Kerala is the only state in the country which has full time pharmacy inspectors in each of its 14 districts. The Karnataka State Pharmacy Council (KSPC), which took a lead 10 years ago and appointed 40 pharmacy inspectors to implement the Pharmacy Act, has discontinued the practice due to the administrative and operational problems including lack of powers to take immediate action against the erring pharmacists and doctors.