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Health ministry to amend D&C Act to launch refresher course for non pharmacists

Laxmi Yadav, Mumbai | Tuesday, November 22, 2016, 08:00 Hrs [IST]

Union ministry of health is planning to launch a refresher course for unqualified persons who have experience of dispensing drugs under a qualified pharmacist for more than 5 years in a bid contain the current shortage of pharmacists at the retail chemist shops.

An amendment to Pharmacy Act and Drugs & Cosmetics Act may be required for the purpose..

The course will be conducted by the Union health ministry in association with Pharmacy Council of India. According to the Pharmacy Act and the D&C Act, only a registered pharmacist can dispense medicines on the prescription of a medical practitioner.

Scores of retail chemist shops in the north and north east with unqualified unqualified persons are under the threat of closure as their license renewals are due in December with no availability of pharmacists in these regions.
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In West Bengal, licence renewals of 4,000-5,000 pharmacies are due in December. In Uttar Pradesh, licences of 10,000 retail drug stores are due for renewal in December followed by 5,000 chemists in Bihar, 2,000 drug stores each in Jharkhand, Bihar, Assam, Punjab, 1,500 pharmacies in Orissa, 500 medical stores each in Uttaranchal, Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir.

Taking serious note of this, All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD), a representative body of 8 lakh chemists in India, had raised the issue pertaining to shortage of pharmacists with the health ministry at a meet on November 7. The shortage of pharmacists affected renewal of retail drug licence in north and north eastern regions, said AIOCD.

At the meet, the trade body urged the ministry to conduct a refresher course for those persons who have no basic education in pharmacy, but showed an experience of work under a qualified pharmacist for more than five years. On Successful completion of the course, certificates will be issued to participants making them eligible to obtain retail drug licence. It will help tide over shortage of pharmacists in the regions. The ministry showed positive approach towards the suggestion, said AIOCD general secretary Suresh Gupta.

The meet was attended by joint secretary (health ministry) KL Sharma, Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) GN Singh, AIOCD general secretary Suresh Gupta among others. Pharmacy Council of India president B Suresh who could not attend the meet assured to resolve the issue in a telephonic interaction with DCGI.

On November 16, health ministry convened a joint meeting of AIOCD, PCI, DCGI to hold further discussion on launch of refresher course for non pharmacists operating drug stores but PCI president B Suresh and DCGI GN Singh could attend the meet.

A joint meet of health ministry, central government, AIOCD, PCI, DCGI is likely to be held at earliest to discuss the course curriculum, time frame etc, Gupta informed.

Comments

shobharam sahu	Nov 27, 2016 1:47 PM
it is a very dengerous for all pharmacist.govt should think about pharmacist.if .....

PRASANNA	Nov 26, 2016 3:15 PM
SHOCKING NEWS...TUGALAK DRABAR.....Instead of this close all pharmacy COLLEGE'S in India.

Vignesh kumar . K	Nov 24, 2016 4:43 PM
It will destroy the future of Young pharmacist and this is rubbish type of decision .

Siddharth singh	Nov 24, 2016 2:59 PM
I am against this course because if it is right then any one can become a dr. by refresher course and five years working experience under a qualified dr.

RAHUL KUMAR GUPTA	Nov 23, 2016 8:45 PM
It is rubbish type of decision for all pharmacist socity.

Antesh kumar Jha	Nov 23, 2016 2:39 PM
It will destroy future of pharmacists who have taken degree in pharmacy course. All drug related rights must be been given to pharmacists only.

Joydeep Sarkar	Nov 23, 2016 2:32 PM
AICDF and their affiliated body in West Bengal as PTAB introduced Drugs Store management Course with a demand to endorse and recognize Pharmacy Workers on Short Term refresher Course and Pharmabiz itself made news on it. It is surprising to note that Pharmabiz is promoting AIOCD on such issue where this Organization had least role in eradicating Pharmacist Issue

Federation of Indian Pharmacists' Organisations

Nov 23, 2016 1:59 PM

FIPO strongly condemns Ministry of H & F W initiative to dilute standards of community Pharmacy. The proposal of Ministry is most retrograde step in annals of Pharmacy services in the world. In the twenty first century Ministry is planning to push the country into 19th century scenario, when no drug law was existing. Requirement of duly qualified and registered pharmacist in medicine shops is universally accepted law to ensure, safe, rational, effective and economic drug therapy. When Ministry is promoting modern allopathic medicines for treatment it has no moral right to deprive Indians from the services of registered pharmacists.
India has over 10 lakh registered pharmacist and hardly one lakh are employed.
In August 2016 in Tripura there was an interview for filling 74 posts of pharmacists. More than 900 candidates(registered pharmacists) appeared for interview. This is the enormity of unemployment for registered Pharmacists in the most remote corner of North East India. On an a

desh deepak pandey	Nov 23, 2016 1:56 PM
sir i am against this course. those who want to open medical shop , they cumpsorly do D.Pharma or B.Pharma. So there is no need to start any new course other wise pharmacy course will be degraded. and we will start big protest against this

Vinay Kumar Singh	Nov 23, 2016 12:05 PM
No only pharmacist

Vivek Srivastava	Nov 23, 2016 10:17 AM
This is spolation of whole education system and pharmacy profession.so i request you to stop these type of courses.i strongly condemed and opose such type kind of activity. Vivek Srivastava 7376716231

Vishal kumar vishwakarma	Nov 23, 2016 10:17 AM
this is spoiling of hole education system so my self vishal kumar vishwakarma strongly oppose this type of activity. Name vishal kumar viahwakarma mob. 9889654167

Federation of Indian Pharmacists' Organisations

Nov 23, 2016 9:26 AM

FIPO strongly condemns Ministry of H & FW initiative to dilute standards of community Pharmacy. The proposal of Ministry is most retrograde step in annals of Pharmacy services in the world. In the twenty first century Ministry is planning to push the country into 19th century scenario, when no drug law was existing. Requirement of duly qualified and registered pharmacist in medicine shops is universally accepted law to ensure, safe, rational, effective and economic drug therapy. When Ministry is promoting modern allopathic medicines for treatment it has no moral right to deprive Indians from the services of registered pharmacists.
India has over 10 lakh registered pharmacist and hardly one lakh are employed.
In August 2016 in Tripura there was an interview for filling 74 posts of pharmacists. More than 900 candidates(registered pharmacists) appeared for interview. This is the enormity of unemployment for registered Pharmacists in the most remote corner of North East India. About 90

Santosh Umakant Yele	Nov 22, 2016 12:43 PM
This is purely a business oriented and one-way demand, It should not be accepted by the ministry on account of misuse of the amendment. this amendment may engulf entire pharmacy education and people with no base of pharmacy will play with the health of common and innocent patients. This must be protected by PCI and no amendment should be entertained.