NMC junked Pharmacy Council of India proposal to allow pharmacists to write prescriptions
The National Medical Commission has informed that writing a prescription is dependent on examining the patients and making a diagnosis and has not agreed to the proposal of Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) for writing of prescription to pharmacist, stated the minister
New Delhi: The National Medical Commission has not agreed to the Pharmacy Council of India's proposal to allow pharmacists to write prescription, saying writing a prescription is dependent on examining patients and making a diagnosis, the government said on Friday.
Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar said this in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha.
Pawar also said the recruitment of pharmacists in government hospitals, their salaries and the eligible qualification for becoming pharmacists in hospitals in any state is governed by the rules of the respective state.
However, she added, the Pharmacy Council of India has issued Pharmacy Practice Regulations, 2015, and amendments thereafter, as per which there is a provision for Pharm D graduates to work in the hospitals in various positions.
Besides, D Pharm and B Pharm graduates are eligible to work as community pharmacists in collaboration with physicians and other healthcare professionals to provide patient care, which optimizes the use of medication and promotes health, wellness and disease prevention.
Pawar said a Regional Drugs Testing Laboratory is functional in Guwahati in Assam.
The laboratory has tested 3,285 samples in 2022 as compared to 1,133 samples in 2018, she added.