Going by the newly introduced Pharmacy Practice Regulations (PPR) 2015, the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) has clarified that it will recommend for strict action against malpractices committed by registered pharmacy professionals who lend their registration certificates to traders for drug business and work in other institutions or colleges or industry.

Reacting to the reports about illegal and improper practices resorted to by certain pharmacy professionals in the north and north-eastern parts of the country, PCI president Dr. Suresh Bhojraj informed Pharmabiz that if any kind of malpractice or misconduct is found from a registered pharmacy professional will be taken seriously by the Council. If a registered pharmacist who is working in a college as a teacher and lending his/her registration certificate to a drug trader for remuneration, he will be debarred from the Council.

If similar malpractice is found with a pharmacist working in an industry, the matter will be brought to the attention of the respective drug controller to initiate action in that respect, said Dr. Suresh Bhojraj, who is also the vice-chancellor of JSS University in Mysore.

According to the new pharmacy practice regulations, lending of registration certificates by pharmacy professionals will be considered as a misconduct. Likewise, a pharmacist working in one pharmacy cannot work in any other pharmacy. As per Pharmacy Act 1948 and also Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940, lending of certificates is not permissible.

PCI has given instructions to all the state councils to sensitise their registered pharmacists not to indulge in any unethical or malpractices, or else face action in the form of suspension of registrations.

According to some pharmacists associations from north India, if the pharmacy council takes steps to curb this malpractice of providing registration certificates, it will help for employment opportunities for many unemployed pharmacists. Further, it will raise the status of pharmacy profession, which is not a money making job, but a profession of health services to the society.