What is the current state of Indian pharmacy education? Why is there less confidence in this field?
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Dr B Suresh
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Indian pharmacy education is on the threshold of evolving and expanding its role in the healthcare delivery and emerging as one of the most relied source for the global health human resource. Moreover the newly developing areas in the pharma industry in pharmacovigilance, regulatory affairs, etc. The lack of confidence seen in the field is apparent. This is because the pharma industry has become knowledge intensive and expects the pharmacy graduates to be conscious of the advances and growth taking place in the industry. This calls for quality assurance in education, curriculum restructuring and experiential training.
In the last four to six months, there were a couple of protests and agitations across various parts of India for the betterment of the Indian pharmacists. Please share your opinion on the same?
The students’ anxiety is only natural! This is predominantly because of the increase in the number of colleges and the consequent increase in the graduates passing out in the country. This has resulted in quality issues in the industry and thereby decrease in the compensation being paid to graduates. Moreover the role of pharmacists in stores and hospitals is under utilised and the feeling particularly by the trade is that the pharmacist’s presence is not essential, which is not true and explicitly wrong. There is not only a legal requirement for the presence of pharmacist in pharmacies but also a need to advise the patients and coordinate with the physicians on the challenges that arise because of newer medication and ever evolving new diseases.
Currently, what are the issues faced by the Indian pharmacists with regards to compensations? What regulations need to be implemented in the system?
The compensation issue in the industry is both skill and knowledge based. However in the community pharmacy or drug stores even the minimum wages are not paid and compensation is not commensurate with the working hours and qualification acquired. The Pharmacy Act and the Drugs and Cosmetic Act clearly emphasise that the dispensing of medicine can only be made by a pharmacist. There is a strict need for regulatory authorities enforcing it!
Tell us about practising regulations and its importance in the society? How will this cut the unethical practices which are prevalent in the society?
The proposed ‘ Pharmacy Practice regulations’ emphasises on the roles and responsibilities in providing pharma care to patients and supporting the physicians in healthcare delivery. The regulations also provide for continuing education mandatory for re-registration with the council. The regulations also define pharmacy as a practising profession and in lieu of the services rendered the pharmacist needs to be suitably compensated.
Being the president of the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI), what kind of partnerships do you think should take place between the industry and academia and how helpful will it be?
The Pharmacy Council of India advocates industry academia interaction and has also asked the institutions to appoint a placement coordinator at the institution level as well as organised a meeting for the same. A strong industry-academia relationship always enhances the scope and employability of the graduates passing out from such institutions.
Indian Pharmacopoeia is partnering with USP, WHO and other key regulatory authorities. What do you have to say on this?
This is essential if we are looking at harmonising with global pharmacopoeia standards.
Brief us about the dual regulations which prevail in India and inform us about the steps needed and its initiatives?
The acts that oversee pharmacy education are the Pharmacy Act 1948 and the AICTE Act. Dual regulations always have conflicting regulatory mechanisms which can be exploited by the providers of education, particularly if the leadership of such organisations and the acts are trying to regulate the same aspect and function. The need to set this right cannot be over emphasised here, particularly when the pharmacy education is facing challenges.
Tell us about professionals’ continuing pharmacist programme? How successful is this programme? Till now how many such programmes have been organised and where?
The PCI has provided guidance to councils that while re-registering the pharmacists they should take into consideration that the pharmacist should have undergone at least two continuing education programmes between the two registrations and with not more than a gap of five years. This is quite successful, though I am unable to provide the details or number of such programmes that have been organised, as these are organised at regional levels.
What modifications or changes would you like to suggest?
The various regulations that have been submitted to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare need to passed. These will, I am sure, set right the problems being faced by the pharmacy profession in the country.