Karnataka State Pharmacy Council (KSPC) has introduced the online registration and renewal of licenses for pharmacists in the state. The move follows the Pharmacy Council of India’s (PCI) validity of registered pharmacists certificate expiry date as December 31, 2012.
 
“We have immediately sprung into action and ensured that all pharmacists in the state will be able to now renew or register for the pharmacy certificates online. This service was unveiled by R Chandrashekariah. Corporator - ward # 133 [Hampi Nagar], Bengaluru , DA Gundu Rao, president, Karnataka State Pharmacy Council told Pharmabiz.
 
 The website of KSPC provides search for registration, where details of registration and renewal fee confirmation are provided.  There is also a special section where the pharmacists while they  renew their registrations and would be able to register for the  Continuing Education Programme (CEP) which is a refresher course to audit the qualification and quality of pharmacists also mandated by PCI last year. The effort is a first of its kind in the country, he added.
 
The PCI in its communication dated June 8, 2011 instructed  all the registration certificates to be  consistent as per the  provisions of the Act.  The Council has also made it compulsory that all pharmacists need to produce a life certificate which is authorized by a public sector  bank manager to ensure his existence and licenses are not issued in the name of deceased persons. This is on similar lines of the government of India’s pensioner’s obligatory submissions every year. In fact, it  is the only way to audit the number of pharmacists in the state. It brings in transparency and uniformity for  issue of certificates among the pharmacists,  said Rao.
 
Referring to the Continuing Education Programme, the KSPC president said that the  classes would be held from 9 am to 3pm on the  third Sunday of every month in select 30 pharmacy colleges of the state. The syllabus is updated to be  relevant for the  present day  and cater to needs of Pharm D too.

There is a rampant misuse of pharmacy certificates across the country. There are several chemist outlets engaged violations  which have been detected by  the drug inspectors on a regular basis.  
 
Pharmabiz had earlier reported that the  Council in its meeting held on August 2, 2011 resolved that all registration certificates issued by the Council should be brought under renewal basis as per the Act and the Rules. Hence all the pharmacists who have registration certificate with varying validity were advised to renew on or before December 2012.
 
The  Pharmacy Act 1948 Section 34 provides only for annual registration and renewal. It also specifies the validity of the registered pharmacists certificates as December 31, 2012. The certificate is to be renewed within three months or on March 31, 2013. The  Section 34 (iii) states that renewal fee receipt for the year 2013   could be used as a reference for the next year’s registration process. This only goes to indicate that PCI has  made the process simpler and easier for pharmacists to adhere to. Moreover it would help curb the menace of deception,  informed Rao.