IPA asks PCI to initiate measures for preparation of Central Register of Pharmacists

The Indian Pharmacist Association (IPA), an association working for uplifting the pharmacy profession in the country, has demanded to the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) to initiate immediate measures for the preparation of Central Register of Pharmacists that will provide exact data and information about the number and the status of pharmacists in the country.

IPA secretary general Bhupendra Kumar, in a representation to PCI secretary cum registrar Archana Mudgal, said that the Pharmacy Act 1948 has a provision for the preparation of Central Register of Pharmacists. “But, even after 65 years, no such register has been prepared. PCI is expected to urgently make arrangement to create the required data base for the Register and Updating facility from time to time,” he said.

Under Section 15-A of Pharmacy Act 1948, it shall be the duty of the Registrar of the Central Council to keep the Central Register in accordance with the orders made by the Central Council, and from time to time to revise the Central Register and publish it in the Gazette of India. The Central Register shall be deemed to be public document within the meaning of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 (1 of 1872) and may be proved by the production of a copy of the Register as published in the Gazette of India.

Experts in the pharmacy said that the PCI has so far failed to maintain the updated Central Register of pharmacists even though it is mandated under Section 15-A of the Pharmacy Act 1948 to maintain a Central Register, which shall contain the names of all persons for the time being entered in the register for a State. Central register is very important to be maintained by the council as it will provide exact data and information at central level for any future policy.

Experts said that the Central Register provides central data of pharmacists which is used to monitor all the pharmacists of country. After obtaining a degree or diploma in pharmacy a student has to approach one of the state pharmacy council to get himself registered as pharmacist and gets a license to practice in that state. The data regarding pharmacist is sent to central council i.e. PCI to maintain central register. Every year thousand of persons get new registrations and hundreds are passed away whose names must be removed from the register.

It is only by central register the central government knows how many active pharmacists with what qualifications, gender, age etc. are present in country and accordingly frame future health policy.