The Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) has urged the Jharkhand government to withdraw its decision to allow drug shops to open in rural areas without registered pharmacists. In a letter to Chief Minister Hemant Soren and State Health Minister Banna Gupta, PCI President Dr. Montu Kumar Patel said that the notification of East Singhbhum district administration is in violation of the Pharmacy Act 1948 and Pharmacy Practice Regulation 2015.
He said, “I request you to withdraw the recent notification dated June 13, 2023 of the district administration of East Singhbhum district and implement the Pharmacy Practice Regulation 2015 in Jharkhand in the public interest.” There was no restriction on any person having no knowledge or education in entering into the profession of pharmacy.
He said, however, such non-regular practice caused great harm to the health of the people. In view of this, the Pharmacy Act, 1948 was enacted to regulate the profession and practice of pharmacy. Dr. Patel said that Section 42 of the Pharmacy Act states that “no person other than a registered pharmacist shall compound, prepare, mix or sell any drug on the prescription of a physician.”
and whoever contravenes it shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both.” Dr. Patel pointed out that the express provision of the said section had already been upheld by the Supreme Court and the Allahabad High Court. Has gone and it is applicable in the whole country since 1984. It may be known that CM Hemant Soren had recently talked about abolishing the requirement of a pharmacist’s degree to open medicine shops.
