The Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) has mandated that all pharmacists should renew their registrations annually and undergo a Continuing Education Programme (CEP) which is a refresher course to audit the qualification and quality of pharmacists.

So far, the renewal of registration of pharmacists was only once in five years, but now PCI has made it mandatory for an annual renewal to keep a check on the pharmacists. The CEP, which will commence from January 1, 2012, will be conducted twice in five years. During the two years when the CEP is organized, pharmacists should be physically present to renew their registrations for that year, DA Gundu Rao, president, Karnataka State Pharmacy Council (KSPC) told Pharmabiz.

In a communique to all State Pharmacy Councils, the PCI has stated that the Pharmacy Act 1948, referred to as Education Regulation, prescribes a minimum qualification for registration as a pharmacist, course duration, subjects, examination and practical training and an annual renewal.

But during the 87th Central Council of PCI, it was noted that some State Pharmacy Councils in its rules had provided a facility of annual renewal deposit scheme to renew the registration, thereby resulting in difficulty of knowledge about the number of pharmacists actually engaged in the practice of pharmacy. Since the rationality of this scheme is in question, it is desirable to be discontinued and to be consistent with the provisions of the Pharmacy Act.

However,  till such amendment in respective rules of the State Pharmacy Councils is made, the attention be drawn to the guidelines issued by PCI with regard to the registration of pharmacists and Continuing Education. It is decided to reiterate that the State Pharmacy Councils should ensure that the pharmacists so being registered under its annual renewal scheme shall appear in person once in five years and give evidence of his being in practice and having attended the CEP for renewal of registration. PCI has now called on the State Pharmacy Councils to intervene and ensure strict compliance of the Pharmacy Act 1948.

Following the PCI move, the Karnataka State Pharmacy Council has also taken a step further to organize an online test for all registered pharmacists in the state. The two objectives of the test are that a candidate could be reviewed in terms of his knowledge and the validity of his registration as a pharmacist, he added stating that such an initiative is a first-of-its-kind in the country.

The CEP will be a one-day orientation  course and PCI has instructed all  State Pharmacy Councils to oversee the conduct of training. “The orientation course offer a bird’s eye view on a wide range of subjects covering from accounting- inventory control for a pharmacy trade and pharma marketing  professional to hospital pharmacy, clinical pharmacy, pharmacovigilance, adverse drug reaction, manufacture and quality control, among others. It will update the professionals on the latest developments in the field.

The subjects can be selected by the candidate based on his specialization. Now we are in the process of identifying colleges to conduct the course and also look at devising the curriculum for the same, stated Rao.

In the case of KSPC online test, it will be an objective type format which would make the candidate thorough in his subject. Presently Karnataka has 47,800 registered pharmacists. We can now keep tabs on renewals to avoid misuse of the certificates held by candidates, said Rao.