Following a memorandum given to the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) by the Chhattisgarh Pharmacists Association (CPA), the PCI has written to the union government to take immediate steps to ensure implementation of Section 42 and Chapter III, IV and V of the Pharmacy Act in all the states.

CPA has written to the PCI because of the recent report that union government is deliberating on launching a short term refresher course for the unqualified medical store staff with the support of PCI. On this issue, PCI has clearly clarified its stand before the government that it will not deviate even an inch from the provisions of the pharmacy and drugs acts.
 
The national Council has intimated the president and to the Registrar of the Chattisgarh State Pharmacy Council (CSPC) that under Section 26 A of the Pharmacy Act, the state pharmacy councils are empowered to appoint inspectors with the prior sanction of the state governments to ensure implementation of Section 42 and Chapter III, IV and V of the pharmacy act. The Registrar of the PCI has in his letter said he is taking up the matter with all the state councils to expedite the process. According to PCI, all the state and union territory pharmacy councils should immediately take steps to appoint pharmacy inspectors.
 
The letter further said, in order to avoid all confusions and speculations, the PCI will approach the Union ministry of health and family welfare to take up the matter with the state governments and UTs, and release sufficient funds to each state council for the appointment of pharmacy inspectors.
 
While intimating the Chhattisgarh Pharmacy Council, the Registrar of the national council said steps taken for ensuring compliance of statutory provisions of the act is for maintaining the public health in proper way.

The decision to approach the union government with a request to advise state governments for appointment of Pharmacy Inspectors has been widely welcomed by various pharmacist associations. Sofiur Rehman Khan, president of Assam Registered Pharmacist Association  said all support will be given to the PCI for getting the Section 42 implemented all over the country.

Tamil Venden, chairman of Tamil Nadu Pharmacist Awareness Organisation has opined that his organisation will support the state pharmacy council to implement the pharmacy act. He said TN PAO will not allow non-pharmacists to handle medicines in pharmacies.

K Dinesh Kumar, secretary of Kerala Pharmacist Society said he had sent several memorandum to the PCI in the same matter, but the council had not considered any of them. However, his organisation will stand with the PCI and the state council for implementation of the act.