As part of implementing the Pharmacy Practice Regulations, 2015, introduced by Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) on January 15 this year, the Kerala State Pharmacy Council has started conducting Continuing Pharmacy Education (CPE) programme for practicing pharmacists at the hospitals and community pharmacies.

The council has made it mandatory that every practicing pharmacist in the state must attend at least one CPE programme in the next 12 months time, otherwise their registration for pharmacy practice will be cancelled and the certificate will not be renewed. Penal action will be initiated as per section 34 of the Pharmacy Act.

While briefing about the programme, B Rajan, president of the council said the council is implementing the decision of the PCI which intends all practicing pharmacists in the country to be updated with the latest knowledge in the professional side. The working professionals of pharmacy must know about the newly introduced pharmacy practice regulations and their services should be on par with international standards.

The state council has already started the CPE programme which is conducted in a phased manner. The first phase covered four districts; Ernakulam, Kozhikodu, Pathanamthitta and Thiruvananthapuram. The next phase will cover Kollam, Thrissur, Kasargodu , Malappuram and Wynadu, and the third phase will include districts such as Kannur, Kottayam, Alappuzha, Idukki and Palakkad.

The Council has sought the services of a team of expert faculties from various pharmacy colleges to take classes in the CPE programme. The subjects of the programme are as per the decision of the PCI which is giving financial assistance to the state councils to conduct the one-day training programme.

“We will not renew the certificates of those who abstain from attending the training programme. Also, we will not allow them to practice either in the hospitals or in the community pharmacies. The PCI has given us strict instructions on how to conduct the programme and it is our duty to make it a grand success. We would like to complete all phases of training by the end of this year. There are more than 25000 pharmacists working in various pharmacies in Kerala”, Rajan said.

In March this year, Kerala State Pharmacy Council took a significant decision in the wake of the new Pharmacy Practice Regulations 2015, to support registered pharmacists to start independent Pharmacy Counseling Centres (PCC) in order to provide pharmaceutical care to the needy patients or their caregivers. The pharmacy council of Kerala has also won the credit for appointing pharmacy inspectors in all districts of the state. The state has 14 districts and all districts have pharmacy inspectors.