Against the backdrop of recent cases of fake pharmacy registrations in UP, Maharashtra, Assam, Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) is planning to expedite the evolution of existing registration tribunals into councils. As per the PCI official, states in the North East like Sikkim and newly formed states like Jharkhand are working towards forming state pharmacy councils.

While Sikkim does not have a state pharmacy council, Jharkhand is having a Registration Tribunal. Manipur Pharmacist Registration Tribunal has recently evolved into a full fledged council.

Says Dr B Suresh, president, PCI, "Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) has decided to expedite the evolution of existing registration tribunals in Sikkim and Jharkhand into full fledged councils. Ever since the country got its independence, there were no state pharmacy councils and it was mandated by the Pharmacy Act, 1948 to first form a registration tribunal which would gradually evolve into a council. Many of the states did not try to do the same initially but most of the states today have pharmacy councils except a few in the North East and newly divided states. It has got delayed and we are now putting pressures on the states to do the same."    

The growing cases of fake registrations, explains an official, is the outcome of the misuse of powers by the registration tribunals which were actually constituted to bifurcate the register of pharmacists for administrative purpose as provisioned under the law.

As per section 30 of the Pharmacy Act, 1948, for the purpose of preparing the first register, the State Government shall by notification in the official gazette constitute a Registration Tribunal consisting of three persons, and shall also appoint a Registrar who shall act as Secretary of the Registration Tribunal.

The Registrar shall amend the register in accordance with the decisions of the authority appointed under sub section (4) of section 30 and shall thereupon issue to every person whose name is entered in the register a certificate of registration in the prescribed form.
 
The Assam Pharmacy Council (APC) is in the process of scrutinising 1500 documents related to a fake registration racket involving 2900 pharmacists in the state. These pharmacists were earlier registered with the Registration Tribunals of other states. As per official records, APC today has 9000 registrations of which 2500 pharmacists are working in the government sector alone.

Informs Munindra Deka, registrar, APC, "After scrutinising documents related to the fake registration racket, the state government would be consulted on the matter to take appropriate action for curbing the malpractices. Drug licences will also be cancelled subsequent to cancelling of the registrations."