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On 4th March 1948 Pharmacy Act was enacted in the Independent India to safeguard public health. This public welfare enactment had three main purposes:-
(i) Only duly qualified persons in the field of Pharmacy shall enter the profession of pharmacy to ensure precise and accurate dispensing of modern allopathic medicines for ensuring safe and effective therapy;
(ii) Only duly registered pharmacists shall prepare, compound, mix or dispense medicines on prescription of registered medical practitioners and violation of this shall be punishable with imprisonment up to 6 months or fine of Rs. 1000/- or both ; and
(iii) No person other than a registered pharmacist shall use with his name any title like “pharmacist”, “chemist’ , “druggist”, “pharmaceutist”, “dispense”, “dispensing chemist” or any combination of such words that indicates that he is a registered pharmacist. Violation of this is punishable with fine up to Rs.500/- on first conviction and on subsequent conviction with imprisonment up to six months or fine up to Rs. 1000/- or with both.
For fulfilling the first objective of education for pharmacists, the Act provided for constitution of Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) by Central government and for the first time PCI was constituted on 9th March, 1949. The PCI made Education Regulations with the prior approval of Central Government in 1953 and formal education for pharmacists regulated by Pharmacy Act began after that.
As per Annual Report of PCI during the year 2020-2021 there were 3150 approved pharmacy colleges for diploma-in-pharmacy course with 1,90,000 admissions per year and 2243 approved pharmacy colleges for B. Pharm degree course with 1,66,841 admissions in B. Pharm per year.
Besides the above as per PCI Website (as on 26-02-2022): -
(i) There are 286 pharmacy colleges approved for Pharm. D degree course;
(iv) There are 145 pharmacy colleges approved for Pharm. D ((Post Baccalaureate) degree course;
(v) There are 30 pharmacy colleges approved for Bridge course; and
(vi) There are 874 approved pharmacy colleges/institutions for M. Pharm. Degree in various branches.
Moreover, there are almost 300 institutions and colleges under various Universities that imparts Ph. D. Degree in pharmacy
For fulfilling the second objective of the Act State Pharmacy Councils were constituted in each State and Union Territories by the respective Government for registration of Pharmacists and supervising the conduct of registered pharmacists, taking disciplinary action. For launching prosecution for dispensing of medicines by unregistered persons both State government and Executive Committee of the State Pharmacy Council are empowered.
For fulfilling the third objective the Act empowered State Government and Executive Committee of the State Pharmacy Council to prosecute those who falsely claim to be pharmacist.
Tomorrow this Act enters 75th Year and that is a great moment for all the Pharmacists of India as well as lakhs of pharmacy students who are pursuing diploma to Ph.D. level courses in pharmacy in this country.
The generation of human resource in the field of pharmacy has given big boost to Indian Pharmaceutical Industries with astounding success in manufacturing world class medicines and vaccines that has helped India being recognised as Pharmacy of World.
However, on the pharmacy practice front and in terms of Pharmaceutical Care India is still lagging far behind. The WHO standard of Pharmaceutical Care must be in place to improve the efficacy of each and every prescription and improve safety aspects of medication or in other words ensure rational usage of modern medicines. For this reason theme of this year long celebration is “Pharmaceutical Care for Rational Therapy”.
On healthcare front role of pharmacist must be comparable to their counterparts in developed nations as stipulated by WHO as back as in 1994. The areas include –
- Community and hospital pharmacy
- Procurement, storage and distribution of drugs
- Drug Information
- Medication Error
Health policy makers must realize the need for overcoming the devastating dangers looming large from irrational use and trading of medicines. Government should take resourceful help from Hathi Committee Report 1975 and World Health Organization document ‘The Role of Pharmacist in the Health Care System’ WHO/PHARM/94.569. As first step in this direction both central Government and State Governments must set up Directorate of Pharmacy Services to restructure and modernize pharmacy services and effectively implement the principles of Pharmaceutical Care to provide clinical pharmacy services.
In the 75th year of Pharmacy Act, 1948 Pharmacists are committed to pursue the mission of ‘rational drug therapy for optimized outcomes’ with zeal and commitment to ensure healthy, prosperous and developed India.
Dr. B. S. Desai, President, AISGPOA.
Dr. R. S. Thakur
Dr. Nitin Mahurkar, Principal, HKES’s College of Pharmacy, Kalaburgi
Dr. Ashok Malpani, Principal, Rajiv Memorial Societyis College of Pharmacy, Kalburgi,
Mr. V. Thankachan, General Secretary, FIPO
Mr. Prakash, President, KSGPOA, Kalaburgi District.
