Karnataka Pharmacists to start 'India Pharma Revolution'

BANGALORE: The Karnataka State Government Pharmacist's Association has initiated a nationwide 'India Pharma Revolution', a movement to raise various professional issues and demands from the government. The movement, involving 3000-odd members of the association in Karnataka started on July 29. They demand to be treated equally with their counterparts in countries like the US and other developed nations. 

Taking the first step towards this movement the association submitted a memorandum of its demands to the representatives of the Union government in Delhi. The association has also started a signature campaign to support and promote the pharma profession. 

The association is demanding formation of Ministry of Pharmaceutical, formation of Indian Pharmaceutical services, immediate amendment of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2011, Amendment in Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945, Pharmacists in clinical role, Drug administration, employment generation of Pharmacists in NRHM (primary health center and community health centers, proposed amendments in Pharmacy Act, 1948 and Proposed amendment in NIPER Act. 

"There should be an appropriate expansion of the role of a pharmacist. This should not be limited to simply dispensing or compounding. With the newer role, a pharmacist should play a major role in healthcare and should be allowed to have a prescriber's role, which might be limited. In US and other developed countries, a doctor diagnoses the disease, a pharmacist prescribes and dispenses medicines as per the diseases, while a nurse administers the drug as per the instruction by the treating doctor likewise in India the said system should be fully adopted and a pharmacists' role should not be limited to just distributing the medicines," said K Kempaiah, in a release issued to the press.