The Indian Pharmacist Association (IPA), an association working for uplifting the pharmacy profession in the country, has demanded to the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) to take initiatives to make B. Pharm as minimum qualification for registration as practicing pharmacist.

Emphasising the need for making B. Pharm as minimum qualification for registration as practicing pharmacist, IPA in a representation to PCI secretary cum registrar Archna Mudgal said that around the world specialization in every sphere of medical services is being adopted. Graduate pharmacists are must for effective, correct dosage and dispensing of medicine.

“We expect PCI to strongly recommend B. Pharma as minimum qualification for registration as practicing pharmacist,” IPA secretary general Bhupendra Kumar said in the representation.

Meanwhile, even though the central council meeting (CCM) of the PCI had recently taken a decision to make degree as the minimum qualification for pharmacists getting registered with state pharmacy councils and to practice as a working pharmacist, nothing has materialsed so far.

In this regard, the PCI decided to start a two-year bridge course for uplifting the diploma holders into bachelors’ level and the draft proposal in this regard was approved by the central council meeting of the PCI.

The course will be known as ‘Bachelor Degree in Pharmacy Practice’. Colleges offering pharmacy degree courses can apply for sanction from PCI to start the course. The course is designed to start either as evening course or as parallel course with classes to be conducted on Saturdays and Sundays, without affecting their working hours.

The working pharmacists in the government services, private hospitals, medical stores and other areas can enroll for the course. The duration of the course is two years and a minimum of 150 hours of classes should be attended by the candidates.