Source: http://www.pharmabiz.com/NewsDetails.aspx?aid=155190&sid=1
Pharmacists in India who are registered
with their respective State Pharmacy Councils need to take up patient
counselling too as it is their expertise. With their detailed knowledge
of medicine, pharmacists have the ability to relate unexpected symptoms
experienced by patients to possible adverse drug reaction and food-drug
interaction and provides them another opportunity for remuneration. The
pharmacists are the only professionals in the healthcare milieu to chip
in with this expertise, said Dr Montu Patel, president, Pharmacy Council
of India.
Pharmacy curriculum focuses on carbohydrates, amino
acids and fatty acids which are the key macro nutrients among others
present in the body. Their interaction with the medicines are best
understood by the pharmacist alone, pointed out Dr Patel who was the
chief guest at the inaugural of the 4th International Conference
Krupacon Pharma 2022 hosted by Krupanidhi College of Pharmacy.
Dr
Patel pointed out that the recognition of professional capability of a
pharmacist is found lacking in India unlike in the other developed
countries, where the physicians and patients acknowledged the
pharmacists expertise on medicines. Only pharmacists have the
wherewithal about formulations and their active ingredients to advise
patients on possible interactions.
Therefore we are looking to
ensure pharmacists are compensated monetarily for patient counselling.
In this regard, PCI is proposing to the Union government to approve a
professional fee format. Our plan is to focus on the affordable patients
who suffer from chronic conditions and could encounter food-drug
interactions which are widely prevalent. Also just like the qualified
doctor’s signature, pharmacists too need to certify patient counselling
among other services rendered in patient care. This could be among key
efforts from PCI to garner professional recognition for pharmacists,
said Dr Patel.
Noting that pharmacists per se lack the
recognition as professionals, but then Indian pharma industry is
acclaimed as the third largest manufacturer of medicines globally.
Hence, it is high time to bring in sweeping changes and PCI is on the
job in an aggressive manner. We need to focus on the profession’s
capability. It is here pharmacists need to be positioned as the fulcrum
of the healthcare service, he said.
In this regard, the syllabus
revamp which in its revised form is presented to the Union government
for approval. The image of pharmacists as traders need to be done away
with. We need to put in our best efforts as pharmacists to ensure that
we are the strong backbone of medicine dispensing with patient
counselling on adverse drug reaction to improve health outcomes from the
treatment protocol prescribed by the medical specialists, Dr Patel told
Pharmabiz at the sidelines of the two day event Krupacon Pharma 2022.
Pharmacy
students should think out the box and move from mere generic
manufacture to take on development of active pharmaceutical ingredients
following the Union government Atmanirbhar programme of self-reliance.
There are also promising avenues in consultancy entrepreneurship for
guidance on global and Indian regulatory compliance. Here M Pharm
candidates specialized in regulatory affairs can look beyond working in
an industry. PCI too has also recommended for the commencement of
Pharmacy MBA and an Pharma Technology subject in sync with the advances
digitization, he noted.
The PCI job portal which will be up and
ready in a few months, will open up access to employment vacancies
anywhere in India across pharma companies, drug research centres and
pharmacy colleges for the qualified candidates. The need of the hour is a
mindset change among pharmacy professionals to present themselves as
educated and skilled professionals, said Dr Patel.
|
| |
