The government of Kerala has removed all roadblocks faced by the state pharmacy council (KSPC) to implement the Pharmacy Practice Regulations (PPR) 2015 in the state.

The ministry of health and family welfare has shown green signal to the council by issuing a circular to all department heads of the health ministry directing them to strictly comply with the instructions contained in the PPR. The circular of the government also warns the concerned authorities that any laxity in compliance with the Regulations will be viewed seriously.

The implementation of the PPR was mired in controversy after the Chemists and Druggists Association in Kerala (AKCDA) raised objections in last August in the way the PPR were put into effect. The chemists group conducted strikes and protest marches in various parts of the state and before the council office urging it to withdraw the inspections by pharmacy inspectors at medical stores.

KSPC, as part of implementation of the PPR, had assigned its inspectors to conduct inspections at all the retail shops to check whether the pharmacies in the community level are following the provisions stated in the PPR.

These inspections by the pharmacy inspectors had infuriated the chemist community as most of the retail pharmacies were found to be running their shops with unqualified persons and by displaying certificates of registered pharmacists. The inspectors reported this to the council office, and it also enraged the traders. They alleged that the pharmacy inspectors were usurping the powers of the drug inspectors who were obviously the legal regulators.

The traders under the aegis of AKCDA approached the government with memorandums urging the chief minister and the health minister to hold back implementation of the PPR in Kerala until a decision in this regard was reached at the national level.

The government directed the state drugs controller to convene a meeting of the trade body leaders and the pharmacy council office-bearers to solve the issue. But the meeting could not find a positive outcome as the traders were adamant in their stand of withdrawal of the regulations calling it as draconian law. Since the issue was taken by the national organisation, AIOCD, for discussion in the national level, KSPC stopped its inspections temporarily.

With the circular of the government, KSPC has again started inspections and is going ahead with implementing other provisions of the PPR. B. Rajan, president of the council said Kerala Pharmacy Council is the first state council in the country which took strong steps towards implementing the PPR. He claimed that the inspections by the pharmacy inspectors were continuing and had not stopped at all so far.

Regarding the circular, A.N. Mohan president of AKCDA said, the members of the organisation are not against implementing PPR in Kerala as it is notified in the gazette by the Union government. But he said, the pharmacy council’s activities should not exceed the limit of the provisions in the PPR 2015.

The state drugs controller, Hariparasad, said all support from the department will be given to the council to implement the regulations, but it will be within the purview of the department.