In an action that may strain the relations between pharmacists and doctors, a professional expert in pharmacy from Kerala has demanded to the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) to act on a resolution passed unanimously by the Central Council of PCI in December last year demanding amendment of Section 42 of the Pharmacy Act.

The resolution was moved for amending clause 1 of section 42 of the Pharmacy Act, which permits medical practitioners to dispense medicines to their own patients. Medical practitioners are unregistered pharmacists; hence they are not eligible to dispense drugs.

Rajan B Rajan, former president of Kerala State Pharmacy Council (KSPC) had moved a resolution in the Central Committee of the PCI in December last year and it demanded repeal of the clause 1 in the section 42 which allows medical practitioners to dispense medicines to their own patients. His resolution read, 'in 1948 when the Pharmacy Act was passed by the government, there was very few number of qualified pharmacists in India. Similarly, the number of pharmacy colleges was also very little. During that period, in order to fulfill the healthcare needs, the doctors were allowed to dispense medicines to patients who visited them. Today the situation has changed greatly in order to employ as many pharmacists as the situation demands and with multiple qualifications'.

As unregistered pharmacists, section 42 allows medical practitioners to dispense medicines to their own patients. With the special sanction of the government, they are also allowed to dispense medicines to the patients of another medical practitioner. This provision to permit unregistered pharmacists to dispense medicines should be quashed.

Resolution of Rajan further wants the PCI that the term ‘prepare’ should be deleted from the clause and insert the term ‘manufacture’ in place. According to him, till forty years ago most of the medicines were imported from other countries and the formulations were made here by compounders and doctors. The situation has changed now and we are manufacturing all kinds of drugs in the country. So, pharmacists should be given the right to manufacture medicines.

Rajan was speaking to Pharmabiz on behalf of government pharmacist association. He said government has now given instructions to PHCs to dispense medicines to the patients of non-communicable diseases (NCD) reaching sub-centres, under supervision of doctors. NCD patients are given medicines through sub-centers and is no pharmacist is working there.

A.N. Sunil, president of Kerala Government Pharmacists Association ( KGPA) said same kind of decision by the state government last year was challenged in the court and it directed the state government to ensure presence of qualified pharmacists in all sub-centres of the PHCs for dispensing medicines. Again the health department is trying to implement the same policy.