Pharmacists fume over neglect of Pharm D grads

Pharmacists were unhappy with the Pharmacy Council of India stating that the Central and state governments must amend rules to recruit pharmacists, without specifying that a separate post had to be created for clinical pharmacists in hospitals.

The Doctor of Pharmacy Association (DPA), which includes Pharm D graduates, said this was the same reply they got in 2015. DPA national president Dr Sai Kumar Katam said, “Pharm D courses were introduced to create a special cadre of clinical pharmacists to record adverse drug reaction, advise on drug dosage to patients on prescription from doctors and also carry out other works like immunisation in the healthcare centres. There is a reason for creating these specialists.

“But instead of recognising and placing them in the right sector, they are merely stating that they must be placed as pharmacists. There are already B Pharm and M Pharm graduates working in the sector. But it must be understood that these two courses are not equivalent to Pharm D which is a grade higher.”

Pharm D graduates could work along with doctors during bedside practice and be of great help in monitoring various drugs advised to patients. Presently, the complete system depended on doctors for the diagnosis, drug delivery and also drug reaction. A Pharm D specialist can monitor drug delivery, dosage and drug reaction reducing the work of doctors. Hence the course was not merely to dispense medicines but to also follow up, they said.

Senior pharmacist Dr Sanjay Reddy said, “It is high time the government gave due recognition to pharmacists by involving them actively in the healthcare system. Health is a state subject and for that reason the policies of the Central government have to be implemented by states. The PCI has to actively follow not only with the Centre but also states.”

The issues of pharmacists took centrestage again as students passing out of colleges did not get jobs which was leading to frustration, and forcing them to opt for change in profession. TS health minister Dr Laxma Reddy had been approached nearly four times in the last two months as students were getting agitated over the government failure to make them part of the healthcare system.