PHARMACIST EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION

Patients wait outside, no pharmacists in sight

2012-01-24T09:49:00.000-08:00

Number of pharmacists at Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital is at least 10 times less than the required strength

Lack of manpower at the pharmacy adds to the woes of patients standing in long queues for medicines in Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital in Khichripur, east Delhi. The patients complain of lack of sensitivity by pharmacists and non-availability of medicines.

Krish, 4, developed a boil on his head. The doctor in the paediatrics department gave some basic medicines to cure the child.

“I went to the medicine shop of the hospital and was snapped at the counter. They threw away my card saying 'we don't keep these medicines'. Next day, however, I got the medicines from a different counter of the same shop," said Sapna Kumari, Krish's mother, a resident of Khirchripur.

The pharmacy which provides free medicines at LBSH has one in-charge and three pharmacists. "The work of a pharmacist involves distributing medicines, making proper entries and explaining the usage to the patients. It takes two to three minutes per patient which makes it 120 patients a day. But each of us has to deal with 1,000 patients a day.

“The mental and physical pressure results in misbehaviour towards the patients. We even do not have chairs and have to stand all day while distributing medicines," said a senior pharmacist at LBSH.

The counter for pregnant women opens only for an hour a day, which is managed by a member of an NGO. Otherwise this counter remains always shut. According to norms of the Pharmacy Council of India, a statutory body under the ministry of health and family welfare, a pharmacist is supposed to distribute medicines to nearly 100 patients a day. Going by the number of patients visiting the hospital daily, LBSH requires 30 pharmacists.

It is 10 times more than the current strength. Patients complain of shortage of drugs too. Sunita a resident of Mandawali says she comes regularly to the hospital and some basic drugs are always missing. “They do not have two out of five medicines prescribed by the doctor for my diabetes," she added.

The doctors said that the patients usually get costlier medicines in the hospital but they have to buy cheaper medicines from outside. "The real issue with our hospital is that it is over-crowded. The workforce provided by the government is according to the strength of 100 beds.

“But we receive 3,000 patients a day. Even though all are not admitted, the burden on infrastructure and services is huge. Our doctors are also working beyond their capacity.

The government has the plan to expand the services of the hospital, which will lead to the increase in workforce," said Dr Veer Singh, medical superintendent, LBSH.

Source: Deccan Herald

Final Seniority List of Pharmacists

2011-07-21T10:55:00.000-07:00

GOVERNMENT OF NATIONAL CAPITAL TERRITORY OF DELHI
HEALTH & FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT
TECHNICAL RECRUITMENT CELL
9TH LEVEL, A-WING, I.P.ESTATE, DELHI SECRETARIAT, NEW DELHI - 110002

No.F.11(7)/TRC/H&FW/2007/9163-97                                              Dated : 19.07.2011

To
All Heads of all Hospitals/Medical Institutions,
Govt. of NCT of Delhi,
Delhi/New Delhi.

Sub. : Forwarding of Final Seniority List of Pharmacist working in various Hospitals/ Medical Institutions under Govt. of NCT of Delhi.

Sir/Madam,

A Updated Tentative Seniority List of Pharmacist working in various Hospitals/Medical Institutions was circulated/forwarded to the hospitals/medical Institutions under Govt. of NCT of Delhi, vide letter of even number dated 02.12.2010 with the request that the same may be circulated amongst the concerned officials and verification of their particulars from their Service Records may be intimated to this office accordingly.

In response to this office letter of even number dated 02.12.2010 various representations/discrepancies were informed/observed and all the representations received for removal of discrepancies from Updated Tentative Seniority List of Pharmacist issued on 02.12.2010 have been duly considered and amendments made in the Final Seniority List.

The names of few officials in the updated tentative seniority list have not been verified/confirmed by Medical Superintendents of Govt. of NCT of Delhi. This department considers that Medical Superintendent of hospitals have not found any discrepancies in their details as indicated in the seniority list and the name of these officials are being finalized according to the updated tentative seniority list.

The Final Seniority List of Pharmacist as on date is being forward herewith with the request to circulate the same amongst the concerned official of your hospital/institution. The seniority list can be download from the department’s website i.e. http://www.health.delhigovt.nic.in/mis/frmlogin. aspx.
Yours faithfully,

Encl.: As above. Sd/-
                                                                                                         (KAMAL DEEP GUPTA)
                                                                                                      DY. SECRETARY (H&FW.)

No.F.11(7)/TRC/H&FW/2007/9163-97 Dated : 19.07.2011

Copy to :-
1. PS to Secretary (H&FW), H&FW Department, Delhi Secretariat, New Delhi.
2. OSD to Secretary (H&FW), H&FW Department, Govt. of NCT of Delhi, New Delhi, with the request to upload the same in the department website.

For List click here

                                                                                                                          Sd/-
                                                                                                                (KAMAL DEEP GUPTA)
                                                                                                                 DY. SECRETARY (H&FW.)

Indian Pharmacist Association

2011-06-07T10:50:00.000-07:00

Dear friends,

Indian Pharmacist Association (IPA) has been formed and registered recently.

The aims and objectives for which the society is established are as under

a. To promote unity among the Pharmacists in the country.

b. To protect the interest and to promote service conditions, economic and social status of all pharmacists who are directly engaged in the Pharmacy profession.

c. To hold seminars, symposia, conference and exhibitions for promoting the cause of the profession of Pharmacy, education and research in a people oriented manner programme.

d. To edit and publish journals, books, magazines, documents and other publications for growing the cause of the profession of Pharmacy and education of Pharmacists.

e. To establish, maintain and finance or subsidize research laboratories, pharmaceutical colleges, national academy of pharmacy, institutes of Pharmacists (India) in collaboration with Pharmacy profession bodies of developed and developing countries and exchanging research scholars in Turnkey projects and to raise special funds by voluntary contribution, donations, endowments and grants for this purpose.

f. To acquire, hold and dispose of the properties in the name of association.

g. To promote the science, art and technology of Pharmacy in all their aspects and mutual helpfulness among all Pharmacists in acquiring up-to-date knowledge in the fields of Pharmaceuticals and drugs.

h. To uphold the Ethics of the profession of Pharmacy.

i. To affiliate with, subscribe to, become a member of and co-operation with any other association or body in or outside India whose objects are altogether in part similar to those of this association.

j. To urge or represent on any legislation and other measures and to procure change of law and practice in the interest of the profession of Pharmacy in India.

k. To initiate or support legal action in any court of law or Tribunal or before any Authority on all matters affecting the association or the profession of Pharmacy.

l. To raise issues of public interest regarding the profession of Pharmacy.

To do all such acts, deeds, matters and things as are incidental or conducive to the attainment of any of the above objects.

The website of Indian Pharmacist Association (IPA) is www.ipa.medlineindia.com

Pharmacists end strike in Uttarakhand

2011-04-08T06:13:00.001-07:00

Striking pharmacists of government hospitals of Uttarakhand today announced to withdraw their stir after the state government agreed to their demands including salary at par with their counterparts in central government hospitals.

The pharmacists have decided to return to duty from tomorrow as the government has agreed to their demands, said SS Chauhan, spokesman of Uttarakhand diploma pharmacist association.
Nearly 1400 pharmacists of all the government hospitals went on a three-day strike yesterday causing inconvenience to the patients, who failed to get medicines from government hospitals.

The pharmacists were demanding salary at par with their counterparts working in central government hospitals, transfer of pharmacists to district hospitals from health sub-centres and creation of more posts for pharmacists in hospitals.

Source: DNA

10th National Pharmacist meet to be held in Thane

2011-03-28T06:11:00.001-07:00

The 10th National Conference of Federation of Indian Pharmacist Organisation will be held here on April 23 and 24. This was announced here on Sunday at a conference held by State President of the Federation Satish Dhotre. Dhotre said that the two day meet will mainly discuss the various problems faced by pharmacists and also the long pending issue of wage revision to the pharmacists. Office bearers of the Federation of Indian Pharmacist Organisation (All India Pharmacist Federation) who met here a couple of days back finalised the event to be held at Thane. A large number of representatives of pharmacist Association drawn from the entire state were also present for the meeting where the venue was finalised. The meet will also include scientific seminars and technical paper presentations besides lectures by eminent figures from the field of Health and Pharmacy. He also said that all the Pharmacists working in health service department playing an important role will be benefited with advanced knowledge and information in the scientific seminar by various eminent speakers of Pharmacy department. More than 3000 pharmacists from all over the country will be present for the conference and will take part in the deliberations, he added.
Source: ibnlive

Compounder cannot be appointed a pharmacist

2011-03-23T04:49:00.001-07:00

Over 20 years’ experience in handling medicines and working as a compounder is not enough to make a person eligible for being registered as a pharmacist, the Bombay high court has ruled. “The prayer made by association that its members should be registered as pharmacists, even though they are not qualified, cannot be granted,” said a division bench of Justice P B Majmudar and Justice Amjad Sayed while dismissing an application filed by Shasakiya Nimshasakiya Aushadh Nirmata Mishrak Sanghatana. “It is surprising how the state is allowing these persons to handle the medicines for all these years even though they are not qualified,” the judges said.

The HC said while they may be handling medicines for many years, “it is dangerous to allow them to continue when they are not qualified”. The court added that none of the members would be allowed to work as pharmacists or compounders and given the task of mixing medicines. The HC said that if criminal action is to be taken against members of the sanghatana, a proper show-cause notice would be issued to such persons before prosecution is initiated according to
the law.

It is surprising how the state is allowing these persons to handle medicines even though they are not qualified..

Source: Times of India

Nimesulide and other drugs banned

2011-02-27T04:54:00.001-08:00

Finally notification has been issued by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare vide Notification Number 71 dated 10th February, 2010 for banning
Nimesulide in children below 12 years,
Cisapride,
Phenylpropanolamine and its formulations,
Human Placental Extract and its formulations,
Sibutramine and its formulations
and R-sibutramine and its formulations.
For Notification visit the link.

DPT survey reveals Pharmacists ranked second after doctor

2011-02-21T04:27:00.001-08:00

The importance of a pharmacist in terms of his usefulness and performance has been ranked after a doctor, according to a survey conducted by the Delhi Pharmaceutical Trust. Pharmacists also scored high on trust in each location and on an all India basis.

The quantitative survey was conducted on consumers across the four cities of Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata. This is for the first time that such a study on perceptions of consumers about pharmacists has been carried out, said Dr DBA Narayana, Managing Trustee, Delhi Pharmaceutical Trust.

There have been many opinions expressed about the role of pharmacists, in various professional circles. Most of these opinions are at best the perceptions of individuals not necessarily involved actively in the community pharmacy profession in retail referred to as chemists.

Irrespective of the regional difference, access to a medical shop was high, and still 12 per cent of the population did not have a medical shop in their vicinity. It was interesting to note that 39 per cent said they had access to more than one outlet near their house. Consumers do not necessarily look at a Green Cross symbol displayed to identify a Pharmacy as they were not aware. “There is a need to create awareness on this,” stated Dr Narayana.

With regard to identify a qualified pharmacists’ at an outlet, the survey revealed the need to address the issue on the appearance of a pharmacist donning a uniform and a name badge. There is a need for a strong case for branding of pharmacists, said Professor Kusum Devi of AI-Ameen College of Pharmacy, Bangalore, one of the main investigators of the study.

Visibility of a fridge in a chemist outlet was high. But the chemists did not necessarily take out medicines from the fridge. This called for the need to provide more information to the consumers by the chemists. Another issue was about expiry dates and its significance. In view of the shortfall in community pharmacy, Delhi Pharmaceutical Trust has now taken on the onus to focus on analyzing the survey responses on other questions related to cover professionalism of the pharmacist including drug information provided, and consumer perceptions on medicines and future expectations from the pharmacists, stated Dr Narayana.

HAPPY REPUBLIC DAY

2011-01-25T22:17:00.000-08:00

PHARMACIST EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION

WISHES YOU

HAPPY REPUBLIC DAY!

I am a Pharmacist

2011-01-10T07:42:00.000-08:00

I am a Pharmacist

I am a specialist in medications

I am a companion of the physician

I am a counselor to the patient

I am a guardian of public health

I have information about virtually all the specific drugs and several facts about them.

I can prepare, compound and provide medicines and pharmaceuticals.

I sincerely attempt to keep myself abreast of current developments in my profession.

I am a counselor on the merits and demerits of different therapeutic agents.

I am the link between physician and patient and the final check on the safety of medicines.

I help the patient understand the proper use of medicaments.

I assist in the patient’s choice of nonprescription drugs or in the decision to consult the

physician.

I encourage and promote sound personal health practices.

My professional services are available to all at all times.

I obey the laws governing the practice of pharmacy and support their enforcement.

This is my calling. This is my pride.

PCI's Pharmacy Practice Regulation 2010 to mandate norms for registered pharmacists

2010-12-21T03:43:00.001-08:00

The Pharmacy Practice Regulations 2010, framed by the Pharmacy Council of India to regulate the pharmacy profession and soon to be notified by the Union Government, may give a new dimension to the pharmacy profession of the country, it is learnt.

Besides escalating the pharmacy career into a noble domain of social service, the regulations will make clear the role and responsibilities of the pharmacists who have to practice methods of practice founded on scientific basis. The draft of the regulations has been circulated to all the state drug control authorities for their feedback and it will become a rule with its notification by the central government soon, said Dr B Suresh, president, PCI.

The regulations that mandate certain norms for the registered pharmacists emphasize the need for improving their knowledge and skills which should be made available for the benefits of the patients. The draft of the PPR says a person having qualification in any other system of pharmacy will not be allowed to practice modern system of pharmacy in any form. The registered pharmacist is bound to uphold the dignity and honour of his profession. Once the rule is notified, it will become mandatory for the pharmacist to attend two refresher courses in pharmacy of minimum one day duration each in a span of five years organized by PCI or government agencies or professional bodies recognized by the Council.

Another significant clause is that for the advancement of the profession, a registered pharmacist should affiliate with associations and societies of allopathic pharmacy professions and involve actively in the functioning of such bodies. He should also participate in professional meetings as part of Continuing Pharmacy Education programmes organized by reputed professional academic bodies or any other authorized associations.

According to the draft regulations, the pharmacist has to undertake a pharmaceutical assessment of every prescription presented for dispensing. Pharmaceutical assessment means the point at which registered pharmacist applies his knowledge to establish the safety, quality, efficacy and rational use of drugs treatments specified by a prescriber. He should be ready to respond to the calls of the sick and the injured and be mindful of the high character of his mission and the responsibility he discharges in the course of his professional duties.

Centre should engage more pharmacists to make up shortfall of medical personnel: Dr.Suresh

2010-12-21T03:42:00.001-08:00

Union government should look at utilising the large pool of one million pharmacists in the country to support the growing shortfall of health workers in primary and community health centres. Although considerable efforts are being made by the Centre to take on pharmacists to support its shortfall of medical personnel, a lot more needs to be done, stated Dr B Suresh, president, Pharmacy Council of India and vice chancellor, JSS University, Mysore.

There are a large number of pharmacists which are underemployed in the country at the government medical and regulatory institutions. For instance, the government had set up 12 pharmacovigilance centres in the country and 11 of these facilities are manned by medical professionals with only one centre offering an opening for a pharmacist. This should change and pharmacists should be selected for many of these assignments, Dr Suresh told Pharmabiz on the sidelines of the 62nd Indian Pharma Congress which was held at Manipal between December 17-19, 2010.

"The only way to achieve the goals of the Pharma Vision 2020 would be to ensure pharmacists get the right opportunity and serve as a link between patient and the doctor. Going by the serious shortage of doctors, pharmacists can pitch in to support the healthcare services in the areas of medication management, outcome monitoring and dosage monitoring," he added.

"The pharmaceutical industry which has come up to a level of recognition now needs to take the assistance of pharmacists in the areas of promoting safe, effective, rational medicine use and patient counselling for India to be able to achieve the Pharma Vision 2020 mandate."

Currently, the country has the largest qualified pharmacists pool compared to the developing countries of Africa and South Asia. While it is estimated by the World Health Organisation that funds to the tune of US$ 2.5 billion will be needed to train the pharmacists in these countries, Indian government should tap the opportunity of allowing pharmacists to take assignments in these countries under a mutual agreement between nations facing a shortfall of healthcare workers, pointed out Dr Suresh.

Therefore the qualified pharmacists in India now need to increase their expertise and expand their knowledge base in the areas of high tech tailored drug therapies for not just communicable diseases but also maternal and ageing population diseases.

Over the last four IPCs beginning from Mumbai in 2006, Pharmacy Council of India and the IPCA have taken up the onus to create an awareness at these platforms on the importance of pharmacy regulations, building trust, safety and efficiency in healthcare. "We have made inroads as far as extensive and intensive information, education and communication exercises are concerned. Now the government should ensure that pharmacists are utilised in many areas of the healthcare services", he stated.

A pharmacist can play a wider role in reducing fatalities arising out of medication errors, maternal healthcare, child immunisation programmes, besides controlling the spread of AIDS, HIV and tuberculosis. The government will be able to reduce the disease burden if their services are well utilised opined Dr. Suresh. Therefore the need of the hour is to sensitize the indispensable role of pharmacists in the healthcare space, he added.

Schedule N of D&C Act needs to be revised laying down norms for community pharmacy: S L Nasa

2010-12-20T04:14:00.000-08:00

India’s drug regulatory authority should look at revising Schedule N of the Drugs & Cosmetics Act 1940 to lay down standards for space, equipment and staff for community & hospital pharmacies, stated S L Nasa, president , 62nd Indian Pharmaceutical Congress Association 2010.

“There is an urgent need to focus on the revision of Schedule N and lay down the Good Pharmacy Practice guidelines which should be applicable to the hospital and community pharmacy. From the regulator’s perspective, it would call to strengthen the infrastructure, increase the number of drug inspectors, augment laboratory testing facilities and legal cells to implement the Drugs & Cosmetics Act, stated Nasa in his presidential address at the inauguration of the recently concluded event at Manipal.

Delving on the theme of the 62nd IPC 2010, ‘Pharma Vision 2020:Pharmacist for a Better Tomorrow’, Nasa said that pharmacists provide vital support to healthcare sector from the bench to the bedside. Although for a pharmacist, drug dispensing was a primary function, their role could include services like patient counselling, prescription monitoring to drug therapy monitoring, rational drug prescription and be accountable for safe, appropriate and cost effective use of medicines.

Based on the need for serving the healthcare sector, the country has over 12 universities and colleges offering post graduate courses in Hospital Pharmacy in India. The dedicated curriculum would help mould a candidate in the course. Going the theme of 62nd IPC, there is a need to work towards making a pharmacist as a responsible member of the healthcare system. This would mandate revision in the pharmacy curriculum with the implementation of patient focused pharmacy training. This is where the Pharm D or Doctor of Pharmacy course is a step in the right direction where a student after 12th standard undergoes a 6 years intensive training. The first batch of candidates which pass out of the course in 2014 need to be provided with a conducive environment for hospital-based practice, he added.

In order to be ready with the required infrastructure for the qualifying D Pharm candidates, there is a pressing need for a legal support to ensure that the hospitals with over 200 beds should come under a pharmacist and a full fledged Department of Pharmacy should be set up to commence the service. The Medical Council of India should also be persuaded to lay down the minimum standards of hospital pharmacy in terms of space, staff and equipment before granting the permission to the hospitals attached to these medical colleges.

As part of improving the over all standards of the pharmacy profession, the IPCA president also stressed on the need to upgrade Diploma in Pharmacy (D Pharm) to B Pharm as a minimum qualification to register as a pharmacist.

Expressing concern about the issue of mushrooming of pharmacy colleges in the country, Nasa cautioned that it would be detrimental going by the slow demand in employment as against an increased supply coming out of the over 1,000 colleges. In this regard, he called upon the stakeholders to work along with the pharmacy colleges to help evolve a system and adopt changes which will help to adapt to the newer expectations of the profession.

Betterment of Pharmacy Profession

2010-12-15T04:11:00.000-08:00

1. We may shout from rooftops that we are professionals, like doctors, architects or lawyers, but we must also admit that the society still considers our retail or hospital pharmacists as traders and compounders. Therefore, we must launch a sustained stress relation programme to focus the role of the pharmacist as a vial link between a doctor and the patient and also to the society. Only words or speeches are not enough for creating this new image for a pharmacist. What is needed is action. This could be achieved by better interaction with various groups of the people, participation in their social programmes and also organising blood-donation and eye-donation programmes and such other social activities as well as counseling the patient. Both, PCI and State Councils should take up this activity on a priority basis.

2 Diploma in pharmacy courses should not be discontinued ascontemplated but they should be re-structured and should be given a new look, weeding out non-essential topics and giving more thrust on topics, which would serve the pharmacist well in future. There should be specialization after the first year level, where a student gets thorough grounding in basic subjects. Presently less than 1% of Degree holders join retail-hospital pharmacists.

3 There should be separate representation for hospital
Pharmacists and teachers in Diploma colleges, both, in Central and State Councils to make it more representative.

4 The pharmacy Act, 1948 requires that a prescription be
dispensed by a regd. Pharmacist only, whereas the Drugs and Cosmetics rules require that this activity could be carried out under the supervision of a Registered Pharmacist. This anomaly in the two legislations on the same requirement needs to be remedied immediately.

5 PCI & State councils should impress on government that the
owner of a retail pharmacy must be a registered pharmacist. A provision on these lines is necessary in the drugs and cosmetics rules. Such a provision existed in Goa before it formed a part of India.

6 Pharmacy Education, both at Diploma and Degree level
Should be treated as a separate professional qualification and should no be equated with other Engineering’s qualifications, and should not be clubbed with AICTE. PCI should be the sole authority to decide on the syllabi and course-contents. The present arrangements give the profession of pharmacy and PCI a secondary role and position.

7 There should be more interaction between the central and state councils and all programmes workshops etc. sponsored by PCI should only be through the state councils. It is not proper that the PCI should sponsor such programmes in collaboration with other educational or professional institutions directly, since, a state council exists and is the right authority to get such programmes organized.

There could be many more suggestions, which I may not have been able
to cover, but, have tried to take a comprehensive view of the entire matter so that a profession of the pharmacy gets a respectable position, not only in health services of the country but also in hearts of the people.

PB2; Starting Pay Scale to Pharmacist

2010-11-13T04:23:00.000-08:00

HAPPY DIWALI

2010-11-04T23:39:00.000-07:00

PHARMACIST EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION

DELHI GOVT.

WISHES ALL

HAPPY DIWALI

How to calculate the amount of Encashment of Leave Salary...

2010-10-23T23:06:00.001-07:00

Here we have taken for reference the Office Order issued by Ministry of Labour & Employment, Labour Bureau dated on 23.09.2010.

In this order the department calculate the encashment of leave salary for 300 days earned leave for an employee, who retired on 31.08.2010. [As per the Rule 39(2) C.C.S. (Leave) Rules, 1972 - DOPT Office Memorandum No.14028-7-97-Estt(L) dated 7th October, 1997]

The Calculation of leave salary is as under :-

Earned leave standing at the credit on the date of retirement = 300 days.

Pay	16290
Grade Pay	4800
DA @ 45% as on 1.7.2010	9491
Total	30581

Calculation for 300 days...

30581 X 300 / 30

305810

Total Leave Salary admissible = Rs.3,05,810
(Rupees Three Lakh five thousand eight hundred ten only)
To view the Office Order click here

Pharmacy 90% Seats Vacant

2010-10-16T04:56:00.000-07:00

जयपुर। प्रदेश में चल रहे फार्मेसी कॉलेज बंद होने की स्थिति में आ गए हैं। इस बार फार्मेसी पाठयक्रमों बी.फार्मा और डी.फार्मा की 90 प्रतिशत से ज्यादा सीटें खाली पड़ी हैं। बताया जा रहा है कि इस वर्ष फार्मेसी पाठयक्रमों में सबसे कम प्रवेश हुए हैं। फार्मेसी के प्रति छात्रों की अरूचि का कारण नौकरियों की कमी बताया जा रहा है। इसके अलावा फार्मेसी कॉलेजों में स्तरीय शैक्षणिक सुविधाओं की कमी भी इसी ओर छात्रों की रूचि में कमी ला रही है। लिहाजा प्रदेश में फार्मेसी की शिक्षा व रोजगार का स्तर दिन प्रतिदिन गिरता जा रहा है।
प्रदेश में लगभग 51 निजी और सरकारी फार्मेसी कॉलेज हैं। इनमें बी.फार्मा की 2400 और डी.फार्मा की 1500 सीटे हैं। इन सीटों में से 15 प्रतिशत मैनेजमेंट कोटे के लिए आरक्षित रहती हैं। शेष 85 फीसदी सीटों का हाल यह है कि बी.फार्मा की 2040 सीटों में से सिर्फ 104 और डी.फार्मा की 1284 सीटों में से मात्र 131 सीटों पर ही प्रवेश हो पाए हैं। शेष सीटें खाली पड़ी हैं।
ऎसे में फार्मेसी कॉलेजों के सामने अस्तित्व का संकट खड़ा हो गया है। जानकारों का कहना है कि पिछले तीन-चार वर्ष से प्रवेश में लगातार कमी आ रही है, लेकिन इस बार तो स्थिति बहुत ही खराब है। इसका अंदाजा इसी बात से लगाया जा सकता है कि कुल उपलब्ध सीटों में से करीब 90 प्रतिशत खाली जा रही है। इससे न सिर्फ फार्मेसी कॉलेजों के सामने संकट खड़ा हो रहा है, बल्कि प्रदेश में इसकी दुर्दशा भी बयां होती है।
रोजगार का संकट, 35000 बैठे हैं ठाले
फार्मेसी पाठयक्रमों के प्रति छात्रों में इस अरूचि का कारण यह है कि फार्मेसी के क्षेत्र में नौकरियां नहीं हैं। राज्य में करीब 35 हजार फार्मासिस्ट बेरोजगार बैठे हैं। राजस्थान युवा फार्मासिस्ट एसोसिएशन के अध्यक्ष प्रवीणकुमार सैन का कहना है कि राज्य सरकार ने पिछले 26 वर्ष मे फार्मेसिस्ट के पद पर एक बार भी नियमित भर्ती नहीं की है। जबकि कानूनन हर सरकारी अस्पताल में दवा वितरण और स्टोरेज का काम फार्मासिस्ट से ही कराया जाना अनिवार्य हैं। अस्पतालों में यह काम नर्सिग कर्मचारी कर रहे हैं। औषघि नियंत्रण विभाग की स्थिति यह है कि प्रदेश में 175 औषघि निरीक्षक होने चाहिए, लेकिन सिर्फ 45 पद स्वीकृत हैं।
सहायक औषघि नियंत्रकों के 42 पद होने चाहिए, जबकि अभी सिर्फ 17 पद स्वीकृत हैं। निजी क्षेत्र की स्थिति यह है कि प्रदेश में दवा निर्माता कम्पनियां बहुत कम संख्या में हैं और निजी अस्पतालों में नियमों का उल्लंघन किस हद तक होता है यह सब जानते हैं।

Pharmacists could explore new areas of career for better future, say experts

2010-10-16T04:50:00.000-07:00

Considering the rapidly evolving trends in the country and the prospects in near future, pharmacists should find new vistas for their career through extending their knowledge in various segments, opines pharmacy experts.

In a seminar cum discussion on 'New career and profession courses for Pharmacists in the coming decade', organised by the Indian Pharmacy Graduates Association (IPGA) in association with Empower School of Health, Delhi, professor Y K Gupta, head-Department of Pharmacology, All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), New Delhi, said that the pharmacist, being a vital link between the doctor and patient, can play an important role in pharmacovigilance in India.

Delivering his speech as Guest of Honour, he said that pharmacovigilance could be included in the curriculum of B Pharm course and structured training be provided to the pharmacy teachers, community and hospital pharmacists, thus enabling them to support the National Pharmacovigilance Programme of India.

He also pointed out that graduate pharmacist can be employed in print media as a scientific writer in the field of medical journalism. A graduate pharmacist can also have a career as professional reviewer of scientific papers, translation research and also in drug regulatory affairs as a writer and reviewer of IND document etc. He also emphasised the importance of pharmacists being involved in the nations health policy decisions at government level, said IPGA sources.

The seminar was aimed at providing information and career awareness to the graduate pharmacist in the newer fields of pharmacy profession like clinical research, clinical data management, hospital management, patient safety, pharmacovigilance, patents, drug regulatory affairs, medical writing and documentation.

Professor Roop Khar, procter, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, explained in the seminar that the man power demand for health care industry is going to be doubled in the next seven years and also there will be great demand for qualified and trained clinical pharmacist. He also presented the new careers options available for the graduate pharmacist mainly Venture Capital Banking, Management Consultancy, Bio-IT, Law, Business Developments, Corporate Communications etc.

Dr V K Singh, former director, International Institute of Health Management Research (IIHMR), New Delhi, presented a detailed lecture on the role of hospital health care manager in optimizing the resources for the hospitals. He also suggested the audience that there is a great need for new hospitals in public and private sectors, which includes setting of hospital at rural level. He also explained that the pharmacist can be a part of a health care management team provided he is being trained for it.

Paul S Lalvani, director and dean, Empower School of Health, in his presentation, said that the fast growing clinical research industry in the country offers lucrative career opportunities to the pharmacists also. He also explained the projects undertaken by Empower School in collaboration with various institutions including University College of London and Uppsala Monitoring Center in Sweden, University of Ghana and Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute.

Dr Arun Garg, general secretary with IPGA delivered the welcome speech. Atul Kumar Nasa, president, IPGA explained the scope and careers available in different fields of pharmacy profession in his introductory lecture. The vote of thanks was delivered by Vijay Bhalla, treasurer, IPGA.

National TB programme to get fund booster from Round 9 of Global Fund

2010-10-14T01:40:00.001-07:00

Union government’s tuberculosis programme is set to get a major financial booster from the Round 9 of Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM). The amount of financial support to be disbursed is yet to be announced but the funding will span for a period of five years.

The programme has three principal recipients. These are Central TB Division (CTD), a part of the directorate general of Health Services, Union ministry of Health, International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IUATLD), and World Vision India (WVI), a humanitarian charitable organization.

As a maiden action plan, under the TB control and eradication project, a memorandum of understanding has been inked between the three principal recipients: CTD, IUATLD and WVI with the Catholic Health Association of India (CHAI) and Population Services International (PSI).

The International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease will now cover 23 states and 374 districts based on the 2008 data of low performing districts in TB control.

“In Karnataka, the focus is to improve the 16 districts in terms of strengthening laboratories, ensuring regular supply of drugs, monitoring treatment modalities and hygiene conditions,” Dr Kumaraswamy Lal, Karnataka joint director, State Tuberculosis Control, told Pharmabiz.

“In fact, both CHAI and PSI are the implementing agencies for the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease. A team of coordinators are being identified to work with the district TB officers which will have a training component and segment dedicated for Stop TB Strategy, the erstwhile DOTS (Directly Observed Therapy Short Course) strategy,” he said.

The GFATM project will also review the progress of the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP). “In addition, it will also provide access to drug resistant tuberculosis control services and mobilize civil services like the Self Help Groups, Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy doctors to support the RNTCP to control the dreaded disease,” stated Subrat Mohanty, technical officer, International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease.

“The emerging problems of drug-resistant TB and TB-HIV co-infection are only beginning to get attention and are beginning to pose as significant health challenges in the near future. There is increasing comprehension globally and in India that a much wider social interest, beyond health systems, is needed to support national TB programmes. As TB is treatable and free diagnosis and treatment exists, the task now is to accelerate universal access through early case detection and supervised treatment completion, while engaging with the emerging challenges of drug-resistant TB and TB-HIV co-infection,” stated Mohantry.

“It is estimated that of the total 10 million patients suffering from TB worldwide, 21 per cent are in India. Although we have a comprehensive RNTCP, there continues to be several grey areas”, he said.

In Karnataka, Bagalkot and Gulbarga have performed poorly in terms of coverage area. The state health and family welfare department is reviewing the DOTS programme in the six northern districts: Raichur, Bidar, Yadir, Bellary, Koppal and Gulbarga. The lack of infrastructure and paucity of doctors have been the key reasons for restricting the spread of the programme. This is where the Round 7 Global Fund project will come in to help the RNTCP, stated Dr Kumaraswamy.

Govt suspends import/manufacture of rosiglitazone with immediate effect

2010-10-09T09:49:00.000-07:00

Following its ban in Europe and the restricted use in the US, the union health ministry has suspended the import or manufacture of the controversial diabetes drug rosiglitazone in the country with immediate effect.
A decision to this effect was taken by an Expert Committee constituted by the ministry to examine safety issue and to recommend regulatory action to be taken in country in respect of continued marketing of rosiglitazone in the country in view of its ban in Europe and restricted use in US.

A meeting of the Expert Committee was held on October 7, 2010 and it recommended the suspension of import/manufacture of rosiglitazone and its fixed dose combinations in the country with immediate effect as its continued use would lead to more cardiovascular events and adverse effects on lipid profile, Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) Dr Surinder Singh said.
The DCGI has directed all the state drugs controllers in the country to suspend all the licences granted to manufacture for sale and distribution of rosiglitazone and its fixed dose combinations with other drugs with immediate effect.

Rosiglitazone and its formulations as single drug or as combinations are being marketed in the country as anti-diabetic drugs. European Medicines Agency in its press release dated 23 September, 2010, has recommended the suspension of the marketing authorisations for the rosiglitazone-containing anti-diabetes medicines, and the US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) had also announced on the same day that it will significantly restrict the use of the diabetes drug rosiglitazone to patients with type 2 diabetes who cannot control their diabetes on other medications.

Rosiglitazone is sold by GSK and its generic versions are manufactured in the country by Sun Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd and Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd, among 30 other manufacturers. GSK sells the drug as Avandia overseas and Windia in India.

Pharmacists on indefinite strike in Uttarakhand

2010-10-05T11:54:00.001-07:00

Pharmacists in all government hospitals in Uttarakhand today (4th October) went on an indefinite strike demanding promotions and filling up of vacant posts.

Nearly 1300 pharmacists across the hill state went on an indefinite strike till their demands were met, P L Badoni, a leader of the Pharmacist Association, said here.

The decision to go on strike was taken after a meeting of leaders of the Association with Director General (Health) H C Bhatt failed to yield any result.

The pharmacists are demanding filling up of vacant posts, promotions and removal of disparities in wages.

The strike affected patients, especially the poor ones who did not get medicines free of cost in government hospitals.

AC in Pharmacy and Pharmacy Store

2010-09-23T09:17:00.001-07:00

To,
The All Medical Superintendents,
Of ESIC Hospitals / Dir(Med) Delhi & Noida,
All SSMCs / SMCs.

Sub:- Regarding temperature maintained in Pharmacy /Pharmacy st9re.

Sir I Madam,

As per Drugs and Cosmetic Act-1948, storage area for medicines should have proper ventilation and should be free from dampness. In schedule P of Drug & cosmetics Act, which deals with life period of drugs, the conditions of storage are as follows»
1. Antibiotics/injections/syrups/vitamins should be stored in a cool place having temperature between 10-25 deg. C.
2. Sera toxins and toxoid, other vaccines, anti-toxins should be stored in cold place i.e. a place having a temperature not exceeding 8 deg. C.
3. Capsules should be kept in a closed container at temperature not exceeding so deg. C.
4. where conditions of storage is not specified, it may be stored under normal room temperature.
Keeping in view the above provisions in drug & cosmetic Act, 1948, it has been decided that to maintain the above temperature the Air Conditioner may be provided in the Pharmacy I Pharmacy stores (where the medicines are stored).

It is therefore, requested to take necessary action.

This issues with the approval of the Medical Commissioner.

Yours Faithfully,

AKSHAY KALA
Jt. Director (M.A.)

For detailed letter click here

IPGA demands wholesale license to be issued only to registered pharmacists

2010-09-23T05:30:00.000-07:00

The Indian Pharmacy Graduates Association (IPGA) has put up a demand with the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) to amend the relevant provisions in the Drugs & Cosmetics Act and the Rules thereunder to mandate that only qualified registered pharmacists should be eligible for getting wholesale licence of pharmaceuticals.

At present, under the Rule 64 of the D&C Rules, 1945, the eligibility condition for issuance of wholesale licence for drugs is that a competent person, who is a registered pharmacists or who has passed the matriculation examination or its equivalent with four years experience in dealing with drugs or who holds a degree of a recognised University with one year’s experience in dealing with drugs should be in charge of the premises.

The Association argues that this leaves a quality gap in the drug distribution chain, as the competency of person involved in manufacturing is mandated to people completed science or pharmacy education and the retail licences are issued only to qualified pharmacists.

The rule was made long back, in 1945, when there were less pharmacy professionals but the scenario has changed now with more than 10,000 students completing pharmacy courses every year from almost 750 pharmacy colleges for graduation and more than 250 colleges for post graduate pharmacy courses at present, says Atul Kumar Nasa, president, IPGA.

“Since any lacuna in handling of medicines at wholesale stores can adversely affect the delivery of medicines, the D&C Act is required to be amended on urgent basis so that at all levels medicines are handled by qualified registered pharmacists only. We have raised the issue with the DCGI. The DCGI has assured that the issue will be taken up for discussion in the next DCC (Drug Consultative Committee) meeting,” said Nasa.

Similarly, the rules under the D&C Act specifying the qualification of professionals in manufacturing sites should also be amended giving due prominence to the qualified pharmacists. Pharmacists, who have completed diploma, degree or post graduate courses in pharmacy, are technically the eligible persons to handle drugs, he added.

The All India Drug Control Officers’ Confederation (AIDCOC), the organisation of drug control officers in the country, has also moved the demand to the DCGI, said Nasa, who is also the vice-president with the AIDCOC.

Payment of Dearness Allowance to Centrel Government employees - Revised rates effective from 1-7-2010

2010-09-22T09:42:00.000-07:00

No. 1(6)/2010-E-II(B)

Government of India
Ministry of Finance
Department of Expenditure
-------

New Delhi,the 22^nd September,2010

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: Payment of Dearness Allowance to Centrel Government employees - Revised rates effective from 1-7-2010.

------------------

      The undersigned is directed to refer to this ministry’s Office Memorandum No.1(3)/2009-E-II(B) dated 26^th March.2010 on the subject mentioned above and to say that the president is pleased to decide that the Dearness Allowance payable to central government employees shall be enhanced from the existing rate of 35% to 45% with effect from 1^st July 2010.

2 .     The provisions contained in paras 3, 4 and 5 of this Office Memorandum No.1(3)/2008 29^th August,2008 shall continue to be applicable while regulating Dearness Allowance under these orders

3.     The additional instalment of Dearness Allowance payable under these orders shall be paid in cash ro all Central Government employees.

4.    These orders shall also apply to the civilian employees paid from the Defence Services Estimates and expenditure will be chargeable to the relevant head of the Defence Services Estimates.In regard to Armed Forces Personnel and railway employees separate orders will be issued by the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Railways, respectively.

5.     In so far the persons serving in the Indian Audit an Accounts Department are concerned, these orders issue after consultation with the Comptroller and Auditot General of India.

s/d
(Anil Sharma)
Under Secretary to the Government of India

For order click here

DIPSAR finds 5 Ayurveda products sold in India mixed with sildenafil or tadalafil

2010-09-21T06:28:00.000-07:00

Officials in the Delhi Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Research (DIPSAR) have confirmed that five ayurvedic formulations currently marketed in the country by various manufacturing companies are adulterated and mixed with sildenafil or tadalafil (phosphodiesterase) including Musli Power Xtra of Kerala. These five formulations, now available in the market, are combinations of allopathic and ayurvedic contents.
This was disclosed to Pharmabiz by the officials of DIPSAR in an email interview. According to sources, the institute has conducted investigations on 15 marketed preparations and of these, five were found to contain either sildenafil or tadalafil.

The products are ‘Supersonic’, manufactured by Renovison Exports Pvt. Ltd Federal, A&K Road, Patna , ‘Titanic K2’, manufactured by Sun Laboratories (P) Ltd. ORAI, UP, ‘Sikander e Azam’ , a product of Hashmi Unani Pharmacy, Amroha, UP, ‘2 Much Gold’ , manufactured by Prince Pharma, Village David, Ludhiana, and ‘Musli Power Extra’, of Kunnath Pharmaceuticals, Moovattupuzha, Kerala.

Sources from the government institute said they have collected the samples of the drugs from the local chemists in Delhi and they have the bills for the same for records. Their tests lasted for six months to find out the real contents.

“Earlier we wrote an official letter to the DCGI regarding the adulteration and in response to that, DCGI gave order to state drug controllers to take action on the same. We officially received letters from state drug testing laboratories where they have demanded the standards for testing of these products and in fact asked for the method of analysis employed in our laboratory. We received such letter from Rajasthan state drug testing laboratory”, an official in the institute said.

When asked what kinds of ingredients their tests targeted and how many of them proved positive, the official replied that they had targeted sildenafil and tadalafil.” We investigated 15 marketed preparations and of these, five were found to contain one of the mentioned drugs”.

They said the method used for conducting the analysis test of the formulations are various types including the latest one by using HPTLC, HPLC and LC-MS instruments.

In the quantitative test using the above instruments it was found that all the five products were contained the ingredients of phosphodiesterase (sildenafil or tadlafil) with different quantities in mg per tablet or capsule.
In the drug ‘Supersonic’ (batch NO- 14) the sildenafil presence per tablet/capsule was ‘119.00 mg. In ‘Titanic K2’, (Batch No—27), it was 71.00 mg per tablet/capsule. Where as, in ‘Sikander e Azam’, (Batch No—2), the presence of sildenafil per tablet/capsule was 76.00 mg.

The same content was also found in the drug, ‘2 Much Gold’,( Batch No—152), and the quantity was 2.01 mg per tablet/capsule. In ‘Musli Power Extra’, (Batch No–MP/058/09 ) the ingredient found was tadalfil and the amount present per capsule was 32.00 mg.

The officials said herbal medicines rarely have a quick onset of action and it is often seen that they produce mild to moderate action. Furthermore they elicit their response on prolonged dosing. The manufacturers of these companies were claiming to cure the problem of erectile dysfunction with single dose. This was contrary to the popular belief about the herbal drugs and that is what prompted them to carry out research to find out the truth behind their claims.

DIPSAR has sent the reports to the DCGI and copies were sent to the CDSCO offices and also to the health ministries of central government and Delhi government. It has advised the concerned authorities to conduct strict pharmacovigilance of these herbal products and they should be prohibited from marketing openly to public.

As per the Drugs & Magic Remedies Act “any such product used for the cure of sexual dysfunction cannot be advertised”. But manufacturers of these products are advertising on a large scale.

Cipla launches ‘asthma alert schools’ campaign in Kolkata

2010-09-17T09:56:00.001-07:00

Breathefree, a public service initiative by Cipla launched a campaign called ‘asthma alert schools’ in Kolkata to empower teachers and school authorities to handle asthma emergencies in schools. It is the first ever initiative in India through which teachers would be trained to administer first-aid medication during an asthma attack and guided to identify symptoms of asthma in a child and to effectively communicate it to the parent.

The campaign was initiated with 200 teachers from over 40 schools of Kolkata who participated in the first workshop of asthma alert schools and would reach out to many more schools in the coming months.

Reinforcing the importance of the campaign, M Leena Harathi, principal, Andhra Association School said, “Trained through the workshop, we will now work towards minimising triggers of asthma in the classroom and school environment as these are very easy to follow and execute. Also, during school excursions we will definitely ensure that there is a quick relief inhaler that is carried along in the trip.”

Dr Pallab Chatterjee, consultant paediatrician, Columbia Asia Hospital and AMRI Hospitals, Salt Lake emphasised, “We are overwhelmed with the response from schools to the asthma alert schools campaign. The teachers play a huge role in shaping our personalities and often they motivate and influence us way beyond books and classrooms. I’m sure that several children would be benefited through this campaign and for those who are suffering needlessly with the symptoms, their teachers could be instrumental in transforming their quality of life.”

Dr Subhasis Roy, consultant paediatrician, Columbia Asia Hospital and Sishu Sanjeevan Hospital, Salt Lake reinforced, “The first-aid box of every school should have the quick-relief inhaler (reliever medicine) so that in case of an emergency the necessary medication could be administered without delay. About two puffs given to the child every five minutes will ensure that his condition is brought under control even before medical help arrives or the parent is contacted. It is very simple to use device and is highly effective and affordable.”

Commenting on asthma alert schools campaign, M Norman, principal, Assembly of God Church, Tollygunge said, “With asthma episodes becoming more and more frequent with children, today it has become imperative for schools to have a basic understanding of asthma and be prepared to handle an asthma emergency situation. Children spend about five to six hours in school every day and we find a lot of children getting breathless after physical activities or recurrently suffering from cough and cold. We will now definitely discuss these symptoms with the parent so that a child’s health is not compromised. An initiative like this is the need of the hour and will further help the staff to responsibly take care of the children during school hours.”

Asthma is the most common chronic condition in children and today about one out of 10 children in India has asthma. It is the leading cause of school absenteeism and worldwide over 14 million school days are missed each year due to asthma. It could affect a child’s overall development and performance, ability to concentrate or memorise and tire him out easily. Moreover, an asthma episode could escalate and result into death without prompt medical attention. But with awareness and right treatment, it is possible to lead a normal active life with asthma. Therefore, the objective of asthma alert schools is not only to equip teachers to prevent asthma deaths in schools but also for them to help children with asthma understand their triggers and participate fully in all school activities with their asthma under control.

Breathefree is a public service initiative from Cipla which with the support of health professionals aims to reach out to millions suffering from asthma and their families. Breathefree aims to help asthmatics lead fulfilling lives and make them believe that asthma is a disease that can be controlled.

Govt hikes 10% DA from July 2010

2010-09-16T06:29:00.001-07:00

The government today announced ten percent increase in the Dearness Allowance of central government employees and Pensioners from July this year. A decision to this effect was made by the Union Cabinet which met in New Delhi.
According to an official press release the total impact on the exchequer will be over 9 thousand three hundred crore rupees annually, while six thousand two hundred crore rupees for the current financial year.

New Pay Scales of Tamilnadu Pharmacist

2010-09-04T11:37:00.001-07:00

The government of Tamilnadu issued an order for pharmacists. New pay scale for pharmacist granted by Tamilnadu Govt. is 9300-34800 with grade pay 4200.

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UP govt issues order to police to file FIR against cos marketing substandard drugs

2010-09-01T05:26:00.001-07:00



Mumbai, 30 Aug: Even as the industry is battling with the Union health ministry for curtailing the powers of drug authorities under the amended Spurious Drugs Act that came into effect on August 10, 2009, the Uttar Pradesh government has directed the state police department to initiate criminal proceedings under Indian Penal Code against the drug companies who are found to be marketing substandard drugs. The UP chief minister's directive has alarmed the industry as it will have a serious adverse impact on the genuine drug manufacturers because as per the directive, the police have been asked to file First Information Reports (FIRs) against the drug manufacturers who are found to be manufacturing and marketing substandard drugs. According to sources, the UP chief minister has directed the commissioners, district magistrates, DIG of Police, SSP and SP of each district and Food and Drugs Authorities to lodge First Information Report with the police under section 274, 275 and 276 of the Indian Penal Code r/w section 154 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Concerned over the development, the industry has urged the UP chief minister to review the instructions issued by the government and to modify the directives to address the concerns of the industry. In a letter to the UP chief minister, the Indian Drug Manufacturers Association (IDMA) contended that the instructions issued by the chief minister are inconsistent with the scheme of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and legislative intent of the Act that the cases under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 should be investigated by the technically qualified drug inspectors duly appointed by the Central government and the state governments under section 21 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and policy guidelines issued by the Drug Controller General of India. The IDMA said that while it might be necessary to involve police machinery in cases of clandestine activity of manufacturing and selling spurious and adulterated drug, it is not desirable to lodge FIR in every case in which drug manufactured and sold by the bonafide licensed manufacturer in routine course of business transaction is reported to be substandard. It has urged the chief minister to review and modify the instructions so as to avoid unnecessary harassment from police to the bonafide licensed manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers and retailers of drugs.

Raids on medical stores: Addl Drug Controller beaten

2010-09-01T05:25:00.001-07:00

Rajpura, 30 August: Raids conducted by the Health Department on drug stores turned ugly this evening when medical store owners started beating up Additional Drug Controller (ADC), Chandigarh, Pradeep Mattu.
Mattu was taken to Government Rajindra Hospital, Patiala, with multiple injuries. He lodged a complaint with the police against four persons, namely Lajpat Rai Chappu, Jagdish Kumar, Ramesh Chander and Naveen Kumar, owners of medical stores.
Chapu is also a municipal councillor of ward No. 25 in Rajpura and is a chemist in Jawahar Market. Mattu alleged that the accused druggists had beaten him up in one of their shops situated in the trunk market area when he, along with other drug inspectors, was conducting raids.
He alleged that the accused first manhandled him and later attacked with fists and kicks. He received injuries on his nose, arms and other body parts.
He said they seized many habit-forming drugs from Jagdish Medical Hall situated in Trunk Market when suddenly the store owner attacked him without any provocation.
Alleging bias, the chemists, whose stores were raided, tried to block the Patiala-Rajpura road. Drug inspectors from Ropar, Jalandhar, Mohali, Faridkot and member of Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance DIG Paramjjit Singh Gill (retd) were also present.
Drugs worth 2.5 lakh from two unlicensed premises and 35 types of allopathic drugs were seized. The Jagdish Medical Hall and Naveen Medical Hall were raided and their unauthorised go-downs were unearthed.
Director Punjab Health Services, Chandigarh, Dr JP Singh said a strict legal action would be taken against culprits and a drive against the illegal sale of drugs would not be deterred by such mischievous attempts.
Dr JP Singh and civil surgeon, Patiala, Dr Sham Lal Mahajan and assistant civil surgeon Dr Parshotam Dass Goyal met Mattu in the hospital.
Rajpura SHO Bikramjeet Singh Brar said the statement of the victims had been recorded and a case would be registered against the accused.

Pharmacy profession should be controlled by only one national body: S.L Nasa

2010-08-06T05:16:00.000-07:00

The Union government should take urgent steps to make the pharmacy profession in the country to be governed by one national body rather than the present system of being controlled by dual authorities namely by AICTE and the PCI.

Likewise, the higher education and research in pharmacy is looked after by NIPER, which is under a separate body, Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP), created last year by the Union ministry of chemicals & fertilizers. The involvement of various departments and agencies in the pharmacy education as well as the profession may create myriad problems. So the pharmacy profession should be brought under one regulatory body, said S L Nasa, president of Indian Pharmaceutical Congress 2010 and registrar of the Delhi Pharmacy Council.

He was delivering the key note address at Amrita School of Pharmacy, Kochi while launching the first Pharm D course in Kerala. Amrita School of Pharmacy has introduced the Pharm D six year regular and three year post baccalaureate courses on July 31.

Nasa said it cannot be justified that AICTE should have some governing powers with pharmacy education. It should be entirely under the control of the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI).

He asked when the Medical education is governed by the Medical Council of India (MCI), nursing education is controlled by Nursing Council and the dental education is under by Dental Council, why pharmacy education cannot be governed by Pharmacy Council of India. What is the need for two governing bodies for pharmacy education only. It should also be under the one umbrella like other medical and paramedical courses.

Regarding higher education, he said, NIPER is conducting many PG courses and researches, which is under the control of department of pharmaceuticals. This is also a sector that needs reform. All the courses of pharmacy should be brought under the control of PCI under Ministry of Health, the IPC president said.

He pointed out that many states in India have still not implemented the section 26 (1) of the Pharmacy Act 1948 which states that every state pharmacy council can appoint pharmacy inspectors to check whether the dispensing, compounding and mixing of medicines are handled by qualified pharmacists only. This is just to implement section 42 of the Drugs & Cosmetics Act. Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra have implemented this. The remaining states should implement the act immediately. It will increase the job opportunities of the qualified pharmacists also, he said.

The inauguration of the Pharm D courses were done by the state minister of co-operation G Sudhakaran, who said the introduction of Pharm.D courses in Amrita School of Pharmacy adds one more golden feather to the professional education in Kerala.

While welcoming the audience, Dr K G Revikumar, Principal of Amrita School of Pharmacy, said the School has full-fledged facilities to run the courses at par with international standards.

Dr Prem Nair, medical director, AIMS delivered the presidential address. Dr T K Ravi, Principal of SRIPMS, Coimbatore and Dr P G Nair, department of pharmacology, AIMS, New Delhi, were felicitated. Professor Emmanuel James, department of pharmacy practice, Amrita School, proposed a vote of thanks.

In the following scientific session, Dr R Manavalan, HoD of pharmacy, Annamala University and Prof Surulivel Rajan, HoD, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences shared their experiences about the Pharm.D course. Dr M G K Pillai, professor of general medicine chaired the session.

Govt moves to make medical malpractices an offence

2010-08-03T05:40:00.001-07:00

In view of increasing instances of violation of medical ethics, and malpractice by doctors, the government is in the process of making specific provisions in the law to make all such acts, a punishable offence under the Indian Penal Code (IPC).The health ministry has proposed amendments in the Drugs and Cosmetics Act to plug the loopholes in present laws that let doctors escape. A separate chapter on medical ethics is being added in the Act - violation will be punishable under IPC leading to imprisonment.
With the amendments in place, prescribing unnecessary medicines, taking presents from pharmaceutical companies, accepting their hospitality and conducting clinical trials without following the prescribed norms, will be considered an offence.

The move is based on the recommendations of the new Board of Governors of Medical Council of India (MCI) which wants tighter norms for violation of medical ethics. "There are going to be strictures against malpractices. These will be against doctors taking presents, prescribing too many drugs and being share holders of companies conducting medical trials," said Dr Ranjit Roy Choudhary, member Board of Governors of MCI.

Health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad justified the move sayingthat many doctors were prescribing unnecessary medicines to the patients or prescribing expensive drugs of certain companies even though cheaper and generic versions of such drugs were available.

"At present there are no harsh punishments for doctors found indulging in unethical practices. The maximum punishment they get is cancellation of license or suspension of clinical trials they are conducting in violation of norms. There has to be some accountability and punishment for doctors who put life of patients at risk. At present there is no punishment under the IPC. The amendments would ensure that the doctors can be sent to jail for playing with patients' life and violating ethical norms," said Azad.

So far, death due to negligence is the only act covered under IPC section 304A. But this law does not punish other acts of doctors which includes causing injury, over-medication, providing poor quality of medical care or refusing treatment.

In 1995, though Supreme Court brought the medical profession within the ambit of a 'service' as defined in the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 (5) allowing patients who had sustained injuries in the course of treatment to sue doctors for compensation; its order did not cover patients who were provided service free of cost or if they had paid only a nominal fee.

Order for Implementation of PB 2 for CGHS Pharmacists

2010-07-19T11:15:00.001-07:00

Under Secretary to Government of India issued order for implementation of fast track committee report at the earliest.

For order please click here

MACP for CGHS Pharmacists

2010-07-18T05:38:00.000-07:00

Consequent upon implementation of Fast Track Committee Report, MACP to CGHS Pharmacist has been given.

For order please visit the following links

Page 1, Page 2

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BRIDGE COURSE REGULATIONS

2010-07-10T04:50:00.000-07:00

Dear friends here is most awaited information about bridge course for diploma pharmacists.

Please Click here

http://pharmacists-association.medlineindia.com/Bridge%20course%20regulations.pdf

Azad Announces Pharmacists' Day and Award

2010-07-09T10:13:00.001-07:00

The President, Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil has said that Pharmacy education in the country should be constantly revised and updated to meet tomorrow's challenges. She emphasized that there is a need to create awareness about the role of pharmacists in the health care delivery. For this educators will need to develop an environment to create well rounded pharmacists who are knowledgeable and aligned with the health care needs of people. The common goal of the health sector, pharmaceuticals industries and the pharmaceutical profession should be to protect the well being of patients in all parts of the world, she said. The President was speaking after inaugurating the National Seminar on the Recent Trends in Pharmacy Education and Practice, here today.

Speaking on the occasion the Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare announced that in order to give recognition to the role played by the pharmacists in the health care delivery, the National Pharmacists Day will be declared soon. The Minister also announced that there will be national award instituted for the pharmacists on the lines of B.C. Roy Award for Doctors and Florence Nightingale Award for Nurses. The President appreciated the Minister's quickness to grasp the good ideas and said that the award will encourage the pharmacists to achieve greater heights.

Shri Azad said that pharmacists cannot only act as dispensers of good quality and cheap drugs but also act as watchdogs to counter the menace of spurious drugs in the country. The Minister told the audience about the whistle blower scheme that has been instituted to help the Government in tracking down manufacturers of spurious drugs. He also encouraged the pharmacists to join the teams working in the rural areas.

The Pharmacy Council is celebrating its 60th anniversary.

Pharmacovigilance programme to begin next week in 10 medical colleges

2010-07-08T04:59:00.001-07:00

The much delayed national pharmacovigilance programme, which was postponed several times during the last some months due to the red-tapism in the union health ministry, will eventually become a reality by next week as the programme will begin in 10 select medical colleges across the country by mid-July this year.

To be rolled out in three phases, the pharmacovigilance programme for India (PvPI) will monitor a number of drugs including two H1N1 drugs - oseltamivir and zanamavir, the controversial sub-fertility drug letrozole, popular non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug Nimesulide, decongestant drug phenylpropanolamine (PPA), antibiotic drug gatifloxacine, chronic constipation drug Tegaserod, type-2 diabetes drugs, pioglitazone and rosiglitazone in the first phase of the programme.

Dr Y K Gupta, professor and head, Department of Pharmacology, AIIMS, who heads the programme, said that in the first phase, 40 adverse drug reaction monitoring centres (AMC) will be rolled out in 2010 and will be expanded up to 140 MCI recognized medical colleges by 2011 in phase 2. Phase 3 would ultimately cover the healthcare system by 2013. Phase I will be further divided into phase Ia and Ib. Phase Ia will involve upgrading 10 centres in terms of infrastructure (computer and ancillaries). Phase Ib will include the rest of the 40 centres by end of 2010.

The coordinating centre of the Programme will be Department of Pharmacology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi and will provide technical support to the CDSCO headquarter.

Though the programme is still in its infancy in the country, the concept is not new. It was not until 1986 that a formal adverse drug reaction (ADR) monitoring system consisting of 12 regional centres, each covering a population of 50 million, was proposed for India. In 1989, under the aegis of the Drug Controller of India, six regional centres were set up in Mumbai, New Delhi, Calcutta, Lucknow, Pondicherry and Chandigarh. In 1997, India joined the WHO Programme for International Drug Monitoring managed by the Uppsala Monitoring Centre, Sweden. The centre in New Delhi (at Department of Pharmacology, AIIMS) was identified as the national centre, while the centre in Mumbai (at KEM Hospital) was identified as the WHO special centre. Of the six centres, only the centres in Mumbai and New Delhi were active, yet spontaneous reporting of ADRs was poor. The monitoring centres were considered ad hoc and appropriate levels of funding were not, made available, which put severe constraints on them. Recognising the need for improved ADR monitoring in India, the Government of India sent a proposal to the World Bank for funding. The World Bank approved the proposal with an annual grant of US$ 0.1 million for five years and the National Pharmacovigilance Programme (NPVP) was launched in November 2004.

The NPVP had three broad objectives: the short-term objective was to foster a reporting culture, the intermediate objective was to involve a large number of healthcare professionals in the systems in information dissemination and the long-term objective was for the program to be a benchmark for global drug monitoring. However, the World Bank funding for the national programme ended in mid 2009 and the programme was temporarily suspended.

AICTE hikes number of students intake for B Pharm, M Pharm courses

2010-07-08T04:57:00.001-07:00

All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) has increased the number of student intake in the pharmacy colleges in the country from the existing eight to 18 students for M Pharm course and from 60 students to 120 students for B Pharm course.

The increase in students intake has been a long pending demand of the private pharmacy colleges in the country for the effective utilisation of available resources. As these colleges already have a well established infrastructure including a well qualified Principal, they will be in an advantageous position to impart quality education to the students. Several pharmacy college management associations, including the Andhra Pradesh Private Pharmacy Colleges Management Association (APPPCMA), have been representing to the AICTE in this regard for some time.

The pharmacy college management associations plead that the number of B Pharm pharmacy colleges in the country has increased considerably during the last few years. There are more than 800 pharmacy colleges in the country at present, which was around 300 a couple of years ago. With such an increase in the number of B Pharm colleges, these colleges alone require a large number of faculties with M Pharm degrees. Presently, these colleges are facing acute shortage of competent faculty to provide quality education. Besides, there are shortages of M Pharm students for the pharmacy business also.

In order to make these colleges financially viable to maintain Ph.D qualified faculty and also to give best scientific education to the students, the associations had asked the AICTE to consider to allow 18 students in the first year and 25 students by third year of the M Pharm course.

DCGI issues notices to 3 cos for reviving ads on emergency contraceptive pills

2010-07-07T04:54:00.000-07:00

The drug controller general of India (DCGI) has issued show-cause notices to three major pharma companies--- Mankind Pharma, Piramal Healthcare and Morepan Laboratories----for launching advertisements on emergency contraceptive pills even after the Union Health Ministry's suspension of advertisements on these products till a final decision is taken on the issue by the DTAB.

According to sources, the DCGI office has asked these companies to explain why action, including the cancellation of licences for these products issued by the DCGI office, should not be taken against them for launching advertisements on morning-after-pills like 'Unwanted 72', 'Option-72' and 'I-Pill'. While the Unwanted-72 is a product of Mankind Pharma Ltd, 'Option-72' is promoted by New Delhi-based Morepan Laboratories. I-Pill was actually promoted by Cipla Ltd, but in March this year Piramal Healthcare had acquired I-Pill brand for Rs 95 crore from Cipla.

Due to public outcry, the Health Ministry had suspended the advertisement of these pills late last year and had referred the issue to the DTAB for taking a final decision. Drug Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) is the highest authority on technical matters under the Union Health Ministry and has health experts as members. Pending a final decision by the DTAB, the health ministry had suspended advertisements on these products in the country.

Even though the DTAB is yet to deliver its final decision, the pharma companies have revived the advertisements on these products, in gross violation of the government order.

The reappearance of similar advertisements once again raised concern among the experts and public interest groups in the country. There are apprehensions that the advertisements of these pills being carried by the pharma companies are promoting the misuse of the pill by the young generation who have started looking at the pills as a regular contraceptive method as the advertisements are said to have failed to drive home the message clearly that these pills are emergency contraceptives.

Ever since the advertisements began appearing on the electronic media early least year across the country, both the civil society organisations and gynaecologists in the country have been expressing concern on the misuse of the pill by the young generation. It triggered a debate in sexually conservative India with critics arguing that the easy availability of such pills would encourage promiscuity among the millions of young people. There was also criticism that the easy availability of these drugs will also promote unsafe sex among younger generation and may result in promotion of diseases like HIV/AIDS in the country.

Health ministry issues directive to govt doctors to prescribe generic drugs

2010-06-23T05:10:00.001-07:00

Close on the heels of the Rajasthan government's directives to the doctors in the government hospitals to prescribe generic drugs, the union health ministry has directed the doctors in the central government hospitals and autonomous institutions falling under the health ministry to prescribe cheaper generic substitutes to the patients. A separate cell has been formed in the ministry to monitor the issue.

Informed sources in the Union health ministry said that the ministry's action in this regard comes in the wake of union health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad's special instructions to senior health ministry officials to make it mandatory for the doctors in the government hospitals and the autonomous institutions of the ministry to prescribe generic substitute while writing the prescriptions.

Sources said that the minister was concerned over the increasing complaints from the patients that the doctors in the central government hospitals and autonomous institutions in the country were prescribing specific brands of medicines quite often with a rider that no substitute should be supplied. There were complaints galore from the public that while the doctors were prescribing expensive branded drugs, cheaper substitutes were available. The minister wrote a special note to the senior officials to address the issue immediately, sources said.

The directorate general of health services in the Union health ministry will regularly monitor the prescriptions to verify compliance with the ministry's instructions to the doctors.

“It has been observed that doctors in the central government hospitals, and autonomous institutions under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare prescribe specific brands of medicines quite often with a rider that no substitute should be supplied. Instances have also come to notice where the prescribed drug was very expensive and cheaper substitutes were available. However, the patient did not have any choice but to procure the prescribed drug.

“The matter has been considered by the Competent Authority. It is observed that generic drugs are usually much cheaper than branded drugs. Therefore, Central government hospitals must provide only good quality generic medicines. It has, therefore, been decided that whenever any branded drug is prescribed in the above mentioned institutions, it shall invariably also be mentioned that any other equivalent generic drug could also be provided. For instance, if the prescription is for tablet Crocin, then the prescription should read as 'Tab Crocin' or any other equivalent generic drug. The hospital would then give the flexibility of providing generic equivalents of the prescribed medicine”, the health ministry in its order said.

Kerala DC dept takes action against 2 ESI hospitals for supplying expired drugs to patients

2010-06-04T05:42:00.001-07:00

The offices of the assistant drugs controllers of Eranakulam and Kollam in Kerala have initiated legal and departmental actions against two ESI Hospitals in the state for violation of Rule 65 of the Drugs & Cosmetics Act.

While a case has been registered against the ESI Dispensary at Eranakulam, only a departmental action was taken against the ESI Hospital at Kollam

In Kollam, the drug control officials have not registered a case of violation under Rule 65 of the D&C Act even though they have seized date expired drugs from the stores and pharmacies of the ESI hospital. As per the office records, the time barred drugs were used for distribution to patients even after four months of their expiry, sources from Kollam ADC office said.

When asked why a case was not registered against the ESI hospital at Kollam, M Jyothi Kumar, the drug inspector who associated with the joint raid along with CBI officials last month, said a standing circular of Drugs Controller certifies that only departmental action could be initiated against those who violate the conditions of drug licence. ESI hospital at Kollam is a drug licensee. He said procedures to cancel the drug licence of the hospital are going on.

According to sources from the ADC office in Eranakulam, the ESI Dispensary has distributed expired drugs to the patients under treatment and it has no drug licence.

Sources from the drugs control department said even though, as per Schedule K, the hospitals are exempted from taking licences, recent verdict of Supreme Court specifies that all the hospitals should obtain drug licence for dispensing medicines.

The regulatory staff from the office had associated with the CBI officials to conduct joint raids in two ESI hospitals in Kerala, one being at Kollam, last month following reports that the hospitals were supplying sub-standard and expired drugs to patients.

Revi S Menon, the ADC of Eranakulam, told Pharmabiz that the drug inspectors have seized expired drugs from the dispensing store of the ESI Dispensary towards which its Pharmacy had supplied the drugs. Samples of all the four kinds of expired drugs collected from the dispensary have been sent to the state Drugs Testing Lab in Thiruvananthapuram for testing. The report is awaited.

'Eye Clean', an eye drop manufactured by Parenteral Drugs India Ltd Indore, Coversyl, a tablet for heart disease patients manufactured by Serdia Pharmaceuticals Mumbai, Cesaxil, a dry syrup manufactured by Lark Laboratories New Delhi and Microl, a sachet packet manufactured by Micron Pharmaceuticals Vapi in Gujarat are the products seized from the Dispensary. The ADC said the expiry date of Eye drops was passed in February this year, but it was found that the medicine was distributed till May. The other three medicines had also passed their expiry dates in January 2010, but were supplied till May.

In the CBI raid conducted simultaneously in Kollam, the drug officials there found two kinds of time barred drugs used for distribution to the patients. Drug Inspector C Suresh Babu said, as per the office records of the ESI Hospital at Asramam in Kollam the authorities in the hospital had distributed Astyfer Syrup and Neutrosec Syrup, two vitamin Tonics, manufactured by Chennai based Tablets India Pvt Ltd, and samples of the same have been sent for testing. The expiry date of the former was February 2009 and of the latter was July 2009. The drug Inspector who associated with the CBI officials for raid said the two drugs were distributed past their expiry dates.

On suspicion, the drug officials and CBI sleuths have taken samples of other eight medicines from the pharmacies of the hospital and sent for testing at the government lab in Thiruvananthapuram. Most of the drugs are antibiotic, anti diabetic and Antipyretic drugs.

Samples of Ecoglim-1, tablets manufactured by Afya Pharmaceuticals, Haridwar, Crasmic-MF, tablets produced by Windlas Biotech Ltd, Derradun, Paracetamol-Tab-IP from Bengal Chemical & Pharmaceuticals Kolkata, Glito-15, manufactured by Medley Pharmaceuticals Jammu, Nicopenta, tablet manufactured by Pro Laboratories Pvt Ltd, Haridwar, Amlomed-5, produced by Acme Formulations Pvt Ltd, Solan, Ciprofloxacin-Hydrochloride- Tab-IP, manufactured by Hindustan Antibiotics Ltd, Pune, and Ecap 400, manufactured by Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, Daman were taken for testing.

The CBI has conducted raids in the hospitals as part of their country-wide crackdown on spurious and expired drugs following reports of expired drug scam in Tamil Nadu.

Pharmacy Practice Regulation planned, clinical pharmacy mandatory in hospitals.

2010-06-02T04:46:00.001-07:00

In a major development to give a fillip to medical services in the country, the Union government is working to enforce the Pharmacy Practice Regulation. The directive will mandate all hospitals to set up departments of clinical pharmacy manned by Pharm D graduates.

The government under the direction of Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) is in the process of finalizing the same. Details on the time-frame for implementation are not available. But experts opine that this move would have a positive impact for pharmacy education in India

Moreover, US and UK governments now recognize only Pharm D as a minimum entry qualification for jobs. The hospitals in the Middle East prefer Pharm D over B Pharm degree holders. In India too, once the Regulation is enforced, the government will insist on Pharm D as the basic degree for candidates to work at the departments of clinical pharmacy in hospitals.

So long the government has not provided adequate attention for the development of clinical pharmacy services in hospitals. Departments of Clinical Pharmacy are in vogue abroad. However, only a handful of hospitals have started the Clinical Pharmacy department. These include KMC, Manipal, JSS, Mysore, KLE, Belgaum and Ramakrishna Hospital, Coimbatore.

The six-year Pharma D course, started in 2008-09, will now will now open up employment opportunities, Dr N Udupa, principal, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences and sub-committee member, Pharm D, PCI, told Pharmabiz.

Currently, India has over 10, 000 hospitals. There are 1,000 pharmacy colleges with 60 seats each; creating 50,000 B Pharm graduates annually. Of these 5,000 are selected by the industry, 2,000 go abroad and the remaining seek teaching jobs or are under employed. The huge supply-demand gap has resulted in fall of takers to pharmacy courses by half with 25,000 vacant seats. The speedy enforcement of the Pharmacy Practice Regulation could change the face of employment for candidates as Pharm D will be the minimum qualification to seek postings at the departments of clinical pharmacy in hospitals, said Dr Udupa.

Efforts are also on by PCI to increase the number of colleges offering Pharm D to 60 from this academic year in August 2010-2011 and inspections are on at 15 colleges. Of the 40 colleges today offering Pharm D include Karnataka (seven), Andhra Pradesh (15), Tamil Nadu (10) and north India (eight).

Colleges offering Pharm D require a dedicated hospital or a tie-up with a reputed medical centre having a full-fledged department of clinical pharmacy. Only science candidates after pre-university can opt for course. There is also a lateral entry programme for B Pharm degree holders who can join up for the same during the fourth year. The fee between Rs 1.2 lakh and Rs 1. 5 lakh annually for the five year course and the sixth year will be a residency programme.

The key theory and practical focus includes. Therapeutic Drug Monitoring, Drug Information, Adverse Drug Reaction, Patient Counselling and Poison Information supported by case study presentation, ward round participation under the supervision of clinical pharmacy teachers and doctors.

Other than hospitals, pharma industry and clinical research organizations are also keen to employ Pharm D candidates to work qualified coordinators for human studies and BA/BE projects.

PCI has created considerable awareness organizing special sessions at IPC and IPA events. In fact at the 62 IPC at Manipal in mid December this year will have Dr SL Nasa president Indian Hospital Pharmacy Association on the address on the ‘Progress and Development of Hospital and Clinical Pharmacy'.

Health Min asks docs in govt hospitals to mention generic equivalents while prescribing branded drugs

2010-05-29T10:53:00.001-07:00

In a major step towards encouraging the sale of generic medicines in the country, Union Health Ministry has directed the doctors at all the Central government hospitals and autonomous institutions to also give the names of equivalent generic medicines while prescribing branded drugs.

“The ministry has decided that whenever any branded drug is prescribed in the Central Government hospitals and autonomous institutions under the Ministry, it shall invariably also be mentioned that any other equivalent generic drug could be provided. With this prescription the hospitals could have the flexibility of providing generic equivalents of the prescribed medicine,” an official release said.

The decision was taken in the light of the fact that generic drugs are usually much cheaper than branded drugs. This will also curb the often observed practice of prescribing specific brands of medicine with a rider that no substitute should be supplied. The Directorate General of Health Services will regularly monitor the prescriptions in the above mentioned institutions for the compliance of the order, the release said.

After the Department of Pharmaceuticals launched the generic campaign by setting up Jan Aushadhi generic outlets, the DoP has been pushing the States also to give instructions to the doctors in the government-run hospitals to prescribe generic drugs. Rajasthan had already issued an instruction to this effect.

As constantly alerted by the public interest groups, the practice of prescribing branded drugs even by the government doctors has been increasing. The Common Review Mission of the National Rural Health Mission in December 2009 observed that the practice of prescribing branded drugs was rampant even though their generic alternatives were easily available.

Some unofficial figures claimed that nearly 50 to 80 per cent of people in the country still did not have access to essential medicines and the practice of doctors in promoting branded medicines was one of the main reasons for this shortage.

The Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002 states that every physician should, as far as possible,prescribe drugs with generic names and he/ she shall ensure that there is a rational prescription and use of drugs.

Public health employees in TN receive shots of Penenza vaccine as precautionary measure against H1N1

2010-05-26T05:05:00.001-07:00

Following the Union Health Ministry's latest policy to vaccinate the health workers who are managing H1N1 cases, the Public Health Department in Tamil Nadu has almost finished the programme of administering Penenza vaccine to physicians and health workers in the state. The remaining a few number of staff will be given the shots in another two to three days, said Dr R T Porkai Pandian, the new director of the department.

For the vaccination programme the state has received a consignment of 20,000 doses of the Penenza vaccine, which was produced in France by Sanofi Pasteur, and the doses are provided to the central health ministry by the World Health Organization. The preventive vaccine will be given to the private hospitals also for administering the staff working there.

In the first phase, doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other para-medical staff in the hospitals are targeted, and in second and third phases students and staff of medical education department, workers in Community Health centres, emergency service providers, field staff and Anganwadi workers will be taken up for vaccination, said Dr S Sreedharan, chief entomologist in the DPH. He said so far 16000 doses have been finished for administering 15543 health workers including 11000 physicians. No side effect of the medicine was reported from anywhere in the state. There are around 20,000 people working with the department of public health.

The health workers are given the shots at first because they are very much at risk of contracting the H1N1 infection. The vaccination is given as a precautionary measure and just to boost the confidence level of the employees. It is carried out using auto disabled syringes by trained vaccinators and only single dose is given to one person. However, the Public is not targeted now. The report of the immunization will be sent to the Directorate of Emergency Medical Relief (EMR) in New Delhi, Dr Sreedharan said.

In the first week of this month, the scare about the pandemic influenza once again came back to the state when a pregnant woman was tested positive for H1N1 virus in Coimbatore. It was a fresh case after a period of over two months. Last year the first case of Swine Flu detected in Tamil Nadu was also happened in Coimbatore. According to sources, in Coimbatore alone, over 500 people have tested positive for Swine Flu till two months ago. The latest detection of the virus makes it sure that even today Swine Flu virus is active in the state.

Recently when the Union Health secretary Dr Sujatha Rao visited Chennai, they said that an indigenous vaccine for H1N1, which is undergoing clinical trials, would be available in the market from June this year. It will be much cheaper than the imported vaccine.

In southern states, the Department of Public Health in Karnataka has already finished the vaccination programme. In Kerala, which received 27000 doses of Penenza, the drive is yet to finish.

Dr Amar S Fettle, the nodal officer for H1N1 in Kerala told Pharmabiz that vaccination would be administered to more than one lakh health workers comprising all the departments under the health ministry. One death reported in Kollam last week due to swine flu virus and eight cases tested positive have raised serious concern for the Health Department in the state.

Pharmacists ask govt to force drug cos to reduce pack size to avoid strip cutting

2010-05-24T04:41:00.001-07:00

Irked over the Maharashtra drug authorities' directive to the chemists in Mumbai to cut the strips of medicine as desired by the customers, the pharmacists in the country have asked the authorities to take up the matter with the drug manufacturers to ensures that the manufacturers are stopped from bringing into the market large strip sizes and large pack sizes as it forces the chemists to cut the strips.

The pharmacists have brought to the notice of the drug authorities that several pharma manufacturers without assigning any reasons have increased their strip size from the normal size of 6 or 10 to 15, 20 and even 30.

Giving just some examples, the pharmacists said that the manufacturers of the products like Restyl 0.25 & 0.5, Zinetac 150, Rantac 150, Supractiv, Tonact 10 & 20, Becosules, Naprosyn 250, Stemetil, Omez 20,Ocid 20,Becozyme C Forte, Supradyn, Glyciphage 500, Crocin, Alprax 0.25 & 0.5, Sysfol, Listril, Betaloc 25 &50, Clamp 625, Moxclav 625, Chymoral Forte Plus and Imdur 30 have recently increased their pack size from the normal size of 10 tablets to the size of 15, 20 and in some cases like Zinetac even to 30 tablets in a single pack.

Likewise, the products like Hematrine, Nutrisan, Folvite, Autrin, Stugeron 25mg, Stugeron 75mg and Raricap are available only with bigger pack size of 20, 25, 30 and even 40 which should be brought down to the pack size of 10 to avoid strip cutting as strip cutting is a loss to the chemists as well as to the nation and there are a lot of shortcomings and dangers for the customers when chemists cut strips, pharmacists have said.

Besides, for many brands, the individual tab/caps are so placed in the strip, that a strip cannot be cut easily, and if cut, it most of the time ends up exposing /intruding into one or more tab/cap. This leads to a lot of arguments between the retailer and the customer, and is a loss to the retailer as well as the customer. Mega 3, Gris OD, Antoxid, Antoxid HC, Sitcom, Harty cap and Triomega cap are some of the examples quoted by the pharmacists.

“Your intentions to protect the interest of the consumers seem to be good, however, there are a lot of shortcomings and dangers for the customer when chemists cut strips”, they said.

Indian Pharmacist Association

2010-05-18T10:13:00.001-07:00

Dear friends,

Indian Pharmacist Association inviting nominations from all the pharmacists all over India for the following post of Indian Pharmacists Association

* President
* Vice President
* General Secretary
* Joint Secretary
* Treasurer

All those with leadership quality are invited to send their nomination for the above posts latest by 15th June, 2010 at the following email.

pharmacist.association@gmail.com
or visit www.ipa.medlineindia.com

Few Students opting for B. Pharma

2010-05-17T05:17:00.001-07:00

Pharmacy colleges in Tamil Nadu are facing a serious problem of shortage of students for their B Pharma course. Many colleges are not getting students adequate to fill up even half of the total seat capacity, it is learnt.

Principals and teachers of pharmacy colleges here feel that the main reason for the trend is a lack of awareness among the students about the pharmacy course and its career opportunities. They say that there is a need to sensitize about the course amongst the students and parents.

All the private sector colleges in the state have excellent facilities supported by well equipped laboratories, libraries and qualified teachers. The course opens up opportunities of employment and higher studies in various levels. But the flow of students to take advantage of these courses is drying up, lament the teachers.

When Pharmabiz contacted some faculty members of pharmacy colleges, they said the B Pharm course is one of the professional courses that open up a number of vistas to the graduates on completion of the term. Lack of awareness about it has led to the feeling that it caters only for dispensary work in some hospitals or medical stores. Some initiative from government or from Pharmacy Council will, to an extent, can help the pharmacy colleges to survive, they opined.

The course is offered by 42 pharmacy colleges in Tamil Nadu including two government colleges, one in Chennai and another in Madurai. Since there are fee concessions and other financial aids by government, these two colleges do not suffer much. But, it happens to colleges in the private sector. For the last several years, majority of the 40 private pharmacy colleges in the state were unable to get up adequate students. Last year some colleges reported vacancies ranging from 20 to 70 percent of their seats. One principal of a college in southern Tamil Nadu said his college got only 6 students for B Pharm course last year even as the college keeps up all the facilities. So many colleges face the same fate.

While enumerating the reasons for the crisis, some principals said national level awareness program of the course should be conducted. The health and the education departments of the state governments and pharma industry should come forward to carry the program to edify the students as there is going to be huge requirement of qualified pharmacy professionals in future.

“The course covers a range of subjects, therefore job options are many. The sky is the limit for pharmacy graduates. They can choose careers in chemical industry to pharmacological and bio-tech research industries, but these are not popular among students in the State,” a principal of a Pharmacy college in Chennai said.

According to the academicians, the pharma and allied industries are throwing up many opportunities for those who pursue pharmacy courses. The massive growth in the pharmaceutical industry has created an increasing demand for trained pharmacists and the industry is reckoned as a fast growing sector of the economy. The jobs in the industry range from sales executives to high-end specialists in the R&D division of big pharma companies. With the growth of IT and biotechnology, the chances are expanding still faster.

Those who purse higher studies in pharmacy can go for teaching profession or try for the job of drug regulators. They can work as assistants in analytical & testing labs and in the divisions of quality control and quality assurance. Their service is required for new drug researches and in the development and formulation of medicines. In the study of bioequivalence, adverse drug reactions, reaction monitoring, assessment of drug interaction, patient interaction and in clinical researches, the pharmacist plays vital roles. Even in the marketing division, especially for exports, pharmacist’s service is very big compared to other specialists. Likewise, in a training department of a manufacturing company, the pharma experts play important roles and in documentation, preparation of data management and in consultancy services, their contribution is quite significant.

Just three years ago, there used to be a steady flow of students from Kerala and Andhra Pradesh to Tamil Nadu for pharmacy courses. Subsequently, governments in these two states have realized the scope of the course and allowed private colleges to start the course. That is what has adversely affected the pharmacy colleges as a whole in Tami Nadu.

Currently in Kerala, 25 colleges are offering a degree course in pharmacy. The craze for other technical courses such as B Tech, M Tech, MCA and Life Sciences courses like Microbiology, Clinical Research, Bio-Chemistry, Bio-Informatics and Bio-Technology is also a reason for the decline in the number for students for the pharmacy course.

Source: Pharmabiz

Prices of govt procured medicines found much lower than what is sold by trade, says study

2010-05-13T04:57:00.001-07:00

The patients who visit OPDs in hospitals in the country are spending a whopping Rs 25,000 crore annually just on medicines. This can be brought down to mere Rs 6000 crore if the government spends just 2 per cent of its GDP on public health and thus can ensure free treatment to all, according to a study by public interest groups.

Going by the prices of medicines sold at the Chittaurgarh generic medicine cooperative department shop, the study by Prayas and Jan Swasthya Abhiyan found that bulk procurement products sold to government and retailers are much lower than the MRP printed on the packs.

As per the data collected, ten tablets of albendazole tab IP 400 mg are sold to the generic shop at Rs 11 while its MRP is as high as Rs 250 outside. Likewise, alprazolam tab IP 0.5 mg (10 tabs) is purchased by the shop at Rs 1.40 while its market rate is Rs 14. In the case of ceflazidime 1000 mg injection, the tender rate is Rs 52 while its MRP to patients outside is Rs 370. The study also found huge difference of prices in the case of many other drugs.

“The prices quoted for the retailers and the government are always much lower. For example, Cipla makes three branded generic versions of 10 mg cetrizine – Okacet, Cetcip and Alerid. For 10 pills packaged strips, Cipla sells these for Rs 27.50, Rs 33.65 and Rs 37.50 respectively. Interestingly, the same drug is available in government supply at Rs 1.20 for 10 tablets,” the study said.

The NGOs also found that there is huge difference between stockist prices and MRPs for many drugs and has illustrated the case of 2.0 ml vial of antibiotic injection Amikacin as typical case study. Cadila’s amistar 500 is purchased by chemists at Rs 8 and is sold to customers at Rs 70. German Remedies version (Amee 500) has the same difference while Wockhardt’s Zekacin 500 is purchased by stockist at Rs 9.90 and sold at a MRP of Rs 70. Alembic has its version called Amikanex 500 and it is purchased by the stockists at Rs 8.22 and is sold at Rs 64.25. So is the case with the versions by Intas, Unichem, Ranbaxy and Cipla with same difference between the stockist price and MRP, as per the study.

The groups have calculated that the government can buy medicines for OPD patients at a total cost of Rs 6000 crore, going by the tender price for generic outlets whereas at present the customers, without an option to choose their product, are paying Rs 25,000 crore.

Need of change in Recruitment Rules for Pharmacist

2010-05-07T05:37:00.000-07:00

After 6th pay commission govt has ordered that now on there will be no Group D post. And qualification for recruitment to these post will be 1oth pass. To distinguish ourselves with them we need to revise our recruitment rules.

Here follows the order.

No.AB-14017/6/2009-Estt (RR)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
(Department of Personnel and Training)

New Delhi , dated the 30^th April, 2010.

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: Model Recruitment Rules for Group 'C' posts in Pay Band-I, with Grade Pay of Rs.1800/- (pre-revised Group 'D' posts)

****

The 6th CPC recommended that all Group ‘D’ posts in the Government will stand upgraded to Group ‘C’, Pay Band-I with Grade Pay of Rs.1800, along with the incumbents (after suitable training, wherever required). The other recommendations of the Commission, in this regard include:

(i) There will be no further recruitment in Group ‘D’.

(ii) The existing Group ‘D’ posts will be placed in Group’C’ Pay Band-I with Grade Pay of Rs.1800.

(iii) The minimum qualification for appointment to this level will be either l0th pass or IT1 equivalent

(iv) Multi- skilling, with one employee performing jobs hitherto performed by different Group ‘D’employees.

(v) Common Designation for these posts,

2. Model Recruitment Rules (Annex-I) have been framed keeping in view the recommendations of the Pay Commission. All the Ministries/Departments are requested to amend the Recruitment Rules for the erstwhile Group’ D’ posts as per the Model RRs and the recommendations of the Pay Commission.

3. Powers for framing1 amendment of RRs for Group 'C' posts have already been delegated to Ministries / Departments. Therefore the RRs may be framed accordingly, in consultation with Ministry of Law without further reference to this Department. This Department needs to be consulted only if any deviations from the model RRs are proposed.

4. Ministries Departments may adopt the designation of MULTI- TASKING STAFF for some common categories of posts in the secretariat offices. Annex-II indicates the categories of erstwhile Group 'D' posts which may be given this designation and illustrative list of duties attached to these posts. For other categories of posts, Ministries Departments may adopt single designation for posts whose duties are similar in nature and where the officials can easily be switched from one task to another. In all cases it may be ensured that:

a) The posts are classified as Group 'C'

b) The posts are placed in Pay Band-I with Grade Pay

of Rs.1800. c) The minimum qualification for appointment is prescribed as 10th pass. Where technical qualifications are considered necessary, IT1 in the relevant subject may be prescribed as the minimum qualification.

5. Ministry of Home affairs etc. are requested to bring the contents of this 0.M to the notice of all their Attached1 Subordinate Offices. The autonomous1 statutory bodies may adopt the same with the approval of the competent authority as per their rules1 statutes.

6. Hindi version follows.

(J.A.Vaidyanathan)
Deputy Secretary to the Government of India

Link to original order: Click here

2010-04-19T09:41:00.000-07:00

Govt may make it mandatory embossing batch number & expiry dates on tablets to prevent recirculation of expiry drugs

2010-04-07T05:13:00.001-07:00

In the wake of massive re-circulation of expiry drugs in the market, the Union government may make it mandatory for the pharma companies embossing of batch number and expiry date on every tablet instead of the present practice of printing the details with ink on each strip which can easily be erased.

All India Chemists and Distributors Federation (AICDF) with its state associations including Karnataka Chemists and Distributors Association and All Kerala Chemists and Distributors Association will be meeting Union health minister Gulam Nabi Azad to present a memorandum to this effect on April 16, 2010.

Currently, the details of batch number and expiry dates are printed with ink on each strip which can be easily erased. Going by the growing number of cases in re-usage of expiry drugs and the absence of a law to curb the same, we are taking this issue to the health minister who is keen to prevent re-circulation and re-claiming expiry drugs, AN Mohan, president, All Kerala Chemists and Distributors Association (AKCDA) told Pharmabiz.

In Karnataka, value of expiry of drugs is Rs 60 crore a month. This is nearly 10 per cent of the total pharmaceutical trade sales which is Rs 600 crore a month and Rs 7,200 crore annually of which Rs 720 crore is the estimated value of expiry dated drugs.

In 1991, National Level Traders Association and its state associations entered into a memorandum of understanding with the Pharmaceutical Industry Associations to handle the problem of expired and breakage drugs. Although all companies adhered to tracking the expired drugs and collect it back from the their respective dealers, fly by night operating fake pharma companies managed to succeed in selling these drugs by chemically erasing the expiry dates on the strips and print fresh dates before re-circulating these in the market. These drugs are usually the fast moving products and mainly included leading branded formulations of vitamins, antibiotics, among others.

Karnataka has drug destroying unit handling all damaged and expiry dated drugs located at Ramanagaram, 40 km off Bangalore. The pharma companies as part of the quality control practices maintain a list of expired/breakage drugs and verify the stocks at the wholesale, collected from retail outlets. The wholesaler and company share a credit note which provides value of the drug on a pack-to-pack basis. This procedure is followed across the country.

Despite the in-house stringent measures to keep expired drugs at bay, there are few retail pharmacy outlets which keep the expired drugs on the shelves. During surprise inspection drives by state drugs control enforcement team notices are issued for violation, said Ravindhera M J, secretary, Karnataka Chemists & Distributors Association.

The alu alu packing used by pharma companies will now need to emboss the batch number and expiry dates on every tablet/capsules of each strip, he added.

According to the pharma industry, expired, defective or rejected drugs should be destroyed or disposed of in accordance with the local regulations and same should be documented.

According to Mohan, the problem of expired drugs prevail mainly because of the permission to manufacture combination of formulations with a single molecule. This had led leading pharma companies including Sun Pharma, Dr Reddy's, GSK and Zydus to float more divisions to promote new drugs in varied combinations. The government will first need to put a blanket ban on these products.

Pharma industry is now vociferous for the need to bring in a concrete move to prevent the circulation of expiry dated drugs and the government is working to provide a regulation, said Ravindhera.

Source: Pharmabiz

Kerala High Court reiterates the need for drug license to private hospital pharmacies

2010-04-07T05:00:00.001-07:00

In a landmark judgement, the Kerala High Court has made it mandatory that all the pharmacies attached to private hospitals in the state should obtain drug licence from the state drugs control department. In fact, the court was reiterating its earlier stand on the same issue.

The Associations of Medical Practitioners were arguing that since they were registered medical practitioners, they were entitled the right to dispense the drugs. For the pharmacies, the drug license from the respective agency is a must, according to Drugs & Cosmetics Act.

The court's verdict in this regard was delivered in the last week of March, and following it the private hospital pharmacies in the state, which comes around 5000, will either have to get licences from the government or be closed down.

The verdict of the court is for a two-decade's old government directive which wanted all the private hospitals in the state to obtain drug licences for their pharmacies working with them. Against this directive, twenty years ago, the state branch of IDMA and another organization, Qualified Medical Practitioners Association (QMPA) had approached the High Court. The court then had favoured the directive of the Government. Further the doctors associations filed a suit in the Supreme Court, but the apex court had asked the High court to hear the case once again for an amicable solution.

Later the State Pharmacy Council has also joined along with the drugs control department to fight against the Medical Practitioners' move to implement the section 42 of the D&C Act. At last, bringing to an end to the year long arguments, the division bench of Justice K Balakrishnan Nair and Justice P N Ravindran has ruled that all the pharmacies attached to private hospitals in the state must have drug licences from the drugs department from the government.

The doctors were arguing that since they are registered medical practitioners they have the provision to dispense the drugs. On the basis of this, all the pharmacies attached to the private hospitals have been working without licenses. But sources in the drugs control department said that to run a pharmacy, according to Drugs & Cosmetics Act, every owner should get the drug licence.

For getting licence, the hospitals have to appoint registered pharmacists in their pharmacies. This pharmacist only has the right to give medicines as per the doctors' prescription. In the prescription, the quantity of the medicine should also be mentioned. These criteria have not been followed by pharmacies at private hospitals till date, said K C Ajith Kumar, president of State Pharmacy Council. He said the implementation of pharmacy licence would ensure the quality of the drugs besides giving jobs to unemployed pharmacists.

Source: Pharmabiz

2010-04-01T22:54:00.000-07:00

Revised pay Structure of Pharmacist Cadre in Railway

For order click here

PCI to meet health ministry seeking amendment in Pharmacy Act, 1948

2010-03-30T05:18:00.000-07:00

In an effort to pursue its demands on amending the Pharmacy Act, 1948, by taking the latest changes in the sector into consideration, the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) is envisaging a meeting with the Union Health Ministry, probably in the second week of April.

The council, which has been proposing an amendment to the age old Act for the last two to three years, will put forward a set of ideas afresh to the Union health minister. The proposal is to have a better look at the issues in criteria for registration with the PCI, pharmacy practice regulations and education, said Dr B Suresh, president, PCI.

“The proposals are prepared in such a way that there will be no need to revise the Act for the next two decades. If approved by the legislative, this will take care of whatever situation arise in near future,” informed Suresh. “We had meetings with the health minister in the last ministry. However, with the concerned ministry is run under a new minister, we would like to explain our proposals to him,” he added.

At present, the reorganisation of various states in the country has resulted in formation of separate tribunals to issue registration for pharmacy students passed out from the institutions in the respective provinces. Thus, there is confusion among the pharmacy professionals, institutions and students in these states since there would be two governing body – the PCI and the state tribunal – to decide on their particular issues. The new amendment is proposed to take care of such issues, by entitling the full authority on the sector to the council.

With this proposal, the Act can look after any issues coming up in case of reorganisation of states for the next 10 years, said Suresh. However, he added that the earlier claim to do away with the dual system of regulation over the pharmacy education will not be a major issue at present, as the central government is contemplating on a National Council for Human Resources in Health (NCHRH) as a regulatory body for health sector replacing the multiple regulatory bodies in medical and paramedical segments.

The PCI is planning to organise its central council meeting, in New Delhi, in the second week of April to take an account on the current issues in pharmacy sector. It will also discuss the future plans to push the proposals for Act amendment with the ministry, it is learnt.

source: Pharmabiz

8% Dearness Allowances

2010-03-27T05:19:00.001-07:00

No.1(3)/2010-E-II(B)
Government of India
Ministry of Finance
Department of Expenditure
*******

New Delhi, the 26th March, 2010.

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject:- Payment of Dearness Allowance to Central Government Employees - Revised Rates effective from 1.1.2010.

The undersigned is directed to refer to this Ministry's Office Memorandum No.1(6)/2009-E-II(B)dated 18th September, 2009 on the subject mentioned above and to say that the President is pleased to decide that the Dearness Allowance payable to Central Government employees shall be enhanced form the existing rate of 27% to 35% with effect from 1st January, 2010.

2. The provisions contained in paras 3, 4 and 5 of this Ministry's O.M. No.1(3)/2008-E-II (B) dated 29th August, 2008 shall continue to be applicable while regulating Dearness Allowance under these orders.

3. The additional instalment of Dearness Allowance payable under these orders shall be paid in cash to all Central Government employees.

4. The payment of arrears of Dearness Allowance for the month of January and February, 2010 shall not be made before the date of disbursement of salary for March, 2010.

5. These orders shall also apply to the civilian employees paid from the Defence Services Estimates and the expenditure will be chargeable to the relevant head of the Defence Services Estimates. In regard to Armed Forces personnel and Railway employees separate orders will be issued by the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Railways, respectively.

6. In so far as the persons serving in the Indian Audit and Accounts Department are concerned, these orders issue after consultation with the Comptroller and Audit General of India.

(R. Prem Anand)
Under Secretary to the Government of India

Role of pharmacists in controlling AIDS and TB is important

2010-03-16T05:42:00.000-07:00

Role of pharmacists in controlling AIDS and TB is important

Pharmacists everywhere in the world should get involved in counselling, prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS and also of TB. Prevention should be given extreme importance than advice, said Ivan Kotze of Commonwealth Pharmacists Association.

He was delivering the keynote address in the pre-conventional seminar on HIV/AIDS organized by Indian Pharmaceutical Association as part of IPA Convention 2010, in Chennai.

Kotze said pharmacy workforce can curtail the spread of infectious diseases like AIDS provided the role of pharmacists is strengthened. According to him most of the deaths occurred to young people are preventable and treatable. He said in 1996, 3.5 million people died due to spread of HIV in the world, but in 2008, it has reduced to 2.7 million. In the case of TB, African countries are leading. Effective supply of medicine, strengthening of national healthcare system and proper counselling through pharmacists can control the diseases like HIV/AIDS and TB.

IPA president Dr B Suresh, while delivering the presidential address, said the pharmacists have to equip themselves to give counselling to the people in the society in preventing the disease. He said according to a statistical report by World Bank, India has more than 5.1 million HIV infected people. When conducting preventable programs for HIV, pharmacists should be given prominence. On several occasions, negative attitudes from healthcare staff have generated anxiety and fear among many people living with HIV/AIDS. In these circumstances, the pharmacists can play a good role in eliminating the fear about all kinds of infectious disease.

S V Veeramani, chairman of IPA Convention wanted the working pharmacists, the community pharmacists, and those aspiring pharmacists to consider service to the society as their goal as pharmacists are the backbone of the healthcare system.

M Bhaskaran, director of Drugs Control Tamil Nadu, while addressing the audience, stressed the need for strengthening the quality of drugs across the world and said it should be unified. He exhorted the manufacturers and exporters that while maintaining the stability of drugs for export, the same quality should also be maintained for the drugs used for domestic purpose.

S D Joag, general secretary of IPA said the regulatory agencies are bound to ascertain good quality of medicines that are sold by retail shops. Shanthy Gunasekaran, assistant Drugs Control of CDSCO, highlighted the need to conduct workshops for small and medium scale manufacturers on stability testing. J Jayaseelan, secretary of IPA proposed vote of thanks to the participants. The two-day IPA convention-2010 will start on March 13 at 10 a.m

NEW TAX SLABS

2010-03-02T08:49:00.000-08:00

Male individual below the age of 65 years& HUF tax payers :

New tax slabs:

Slabs (Rs)	Rate
0 – 160000	0
160001 – 500000	10
500001 – 800000	20
800001 and above	30

Old tax slabs:

Slabs (Rs)	Rate
0 – 160000	0
160001 – 300000	10
300001 – 500000	20
500001 and above	30

Impact:

Taxable income (Rs)	Tax -before budget	Tax after budget	Saving
Taxable income (Rs)	(Rs)	(Rs)	(Rs)
200000	4120	4120	0
500000	55620	35019	20601
1000000	210120	158619	51501
1200000	271919	220419	51500
1500000	364619	313119	51500
2000000	519119	467619	51500
2500000	673619	622119	51500
4000000	1137119	1085619	51500

Female individual taxpayer

New tax slabs:

Slabs (Rs)	Rate
0 – 190000	0
190001 – 500000	10
500001 – 800000	20
800001 and above	30

Old tax slabs:

Slabs (Rs)	Rate
0 – 190000	0
190001 – 300000	10
300001 – 500000	20
500001 and above	30

Impact:

Taxable income (Rs)	Tax -before budget	Tax after budget	Saving
Taxable income (Rs)	(Rs)	(Rs)	(Rs)
200000	1029	1029	0
500000	52529	31929	20600
1000000	207029	155529	51500
1200000	268829	217329	51500
1500000	361529	310029	51500
2000000	516029	464529	51500
2500000	670529	619029	51500
4000000	1134029	1082529	51500

Senior Citizens

New tax slabs:

Slabs (Rs)	Rate
0 – 240000	0
240001 – 500000	10
500001 – 800000	20
800001 and above	30

Old tax slabs:

Slabs (Rs)	Rate
0 – 240000	0
240001 – 300000	10
300001 – 500000	20
500001 and above	30

Impact:

Taxable income (Rs)	Tax before budget	Tax after budget	Saving
Taxable income (Rs)	(Rs)	(Rs)	(Rs)
200000	0	0	0
500000	47379	26780	20599
1000000	201879	150379	51500
1200000	263679	212179	51500
1500000	356379	304879	51500
2000000	510879	459379	51500
2500000	665379	613879	51500
4000000	1128879	1077379	51500

2010-02-28T21:08:00.000-08:00

A Pharmacist is AICTE Director

2010-02-16T04:25:00.000-08:00

Dr Deelip Derle, a professor in pharmacy and an eminent personality in the field of pharmacy, has been appointed as a director with the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), New Delhi. He is currently working as professor with the MVP Samaj's College of Pharmacy, Nashik.

Dr Derle has several research papers published in reputed pharmaceutical journals and presented some studies in conferences conducted by Federation of Asian Pharmacist Association (FAPA) in Japan, Singapore and Thailand.

He also serves as a member of academic council and faculty members of Pharmaceutical Sciences department of Pune University. He has published four books related to pharmacy. Dr Derle was vice president of Association of Pharmaceutical Teachers of India (APTI) for Maharashtra state.

2010-02-03T10:04:00.000-08:00

A pharmaceutical university in Delhi

The capital will soon have not only India’s but also South Asia’s first pharmaceutical university. The decision to set up a full-fledged pharma university was recently taken by the Delhi government. The objective to set up the university is to promote research and development in pharmaceutical studies.

According to SS Agrawal, director of the Delhi Institute of Pharmaceutical Science and Research (DIPSAR), “Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research University will be established under the Act of Delhi Government, September 2008. An official gazette has already come up .”

Although there are more than 800 graduate level pharmacy colleges in India offering a variety of courses in this area, there was a need to set up a high caliber institution to impart quality education on the latest developments in the field ofpharmaceutical sciences.

The university will have several independent departments like pharmacology, pharmaceutics, pharmaceutical chemistry, quality assurance and control, pharmaceutical management and clinical research. There is also a proposal to set up constituent colleges ofthe university.

The prospects for careers in pharmacy as a profession are very bright in India. According to Aggarwal there are “two branches of the profession. One is all about pharmacy and the other is about the art and science of developing a drug. India has also become a hub of clinical trial, which is why there is a demand for people from a pharmaceutical science background.”

Several branches in pharmaceutical studies have already evolved. Some of them are: industrial pharmacy, clinical pharmacy, regulatory affairs, hospital pharmacy and community pharmacy.According to SD Jaog, general secretary, India Pharmaceutical Association, although there is a great demand for trained professionals in all these branches, there is a huge demand in industrial pharmacy.

Regulator may ban anti-obesity drug Sibutramine

2010-01-29T07:42:00.000-08:00

Regulator may ban anti-obesity drug Sibutramine

Action likely after European body recommends withdrawal of Sibutramine from market.

Over 20 drug companies marketing anti-obesity drug sibutramine under a variety of brand names are likely to soon face a ban on selling the medicine.

The apex drug regulator, Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), has initiated steps to ascertain the safety profile of the medicine. DCGI started the probe after an expert committee of its European counterpart, European Medicine Agency (EMA), recommended complete withdrawal of the drug from European markets due to serious side effects.

“We will ask members of our pharmacovigilance committee to take note of the EMA decision and explain their position over the continued marketing of sibutramine on Monday itself,” DCGI Surinder Singh said.

The drug controller relies heavily on data approved by developed country regulators while clearing marketing applications in the country. It also follows overseas regulators in withdrawal of drugs. Last month, DCGI notified the ban of another anti-obesity medicine, rimonabant, 10 months after it was withdrawn from markets in developed countries.

Sibutramine, available in India since 1999, is one of the most commonly prescribed medicines sold in the Rs 200-crore anti-obesity market of the country. Leading firms like Cipla, Sun, Glenmark, Torrent, Mankind, Micro Labs and multinational firm Abbott have their own brands of sibutramine in the domestic market.

The EMA committee recommended the suspension of marketing approval across the European Union as its observations found that the heart attack risk associated with the medicine far outweighed its weight loss benefit.

Senior drug regulatory officials said the recommendations of the Indian Pharmacovigilance Committee would have to be vetted by the country’s apex decision-making body on drug safety, the Drugs Technical Advisory Board, before a ban can be notified.

“If the expert committee recommends a ban, we will inform manufacturers to suspend production with immediate effect. Even if the notification takes time, the product will cease to be available much before that,” a senior official said.

Based on international data, India has, in the past, banned two anti-obesity drugs — fenfluramine and dexfenfluramine. With sibutramine also coming under regulatory scanner, there is just one obesity drug, orlistate, left in the market.

Cabinet clears bill to check medical malpractices

2010-01-29T07:40:00.000-08:00

Cabinet clears bill to check medical malpractices

In a move that may help in improving medical services, checking malpractices and sub-standard services to patients, the government has decided make registration of all private, public medical facilities and diagnostic laboratories operating in the country compulsory.

The cabinet on Thursday cleared the Clinical Establishment (Registration and Regulation) Bill that aims at bringing all clinical establishments under a single regulatory framework.

The bill is expected to be tabled in the budget session of parliament. It envisages registering and regulating all hospitals, clinics, nursing homes and labs run by government, trusts (public or private), corporations (including a cooperative society), local authorities or a single doctor.

This means, all clinical establishments would now have to maintain a certain minimum quality standard set down by the National Council for Standards. They would be subject to government scrutiny and rated for their quality, facilities and services. Establishments providing unsatisfactory healthcare can lose licence to operate.

Conditions of registration include having minimum standard of facilities, minimum qualification of health personnel and providing evidence of compliance of the prescribed standards. These establishments will also be open for inspection by authorities. Penalty for non-registration will be an offence punishable with fine up to Rs5 lakh.

A clinical establishment will include hospitals, maternity homes, nursing homes, dispensaries, clinics, etc, and similar facilities with beds that offer diagnosis, treatment or care for illness, injury or pregnancy in any recognised system of medicine (allopathy, yoga, naturopathy, ayurveda, homeopathy, siddha and unani). It also includes any laboratory (either established as independent entity or part of an establishment), which offers pathological, bacteriological, genetic, radiological, chemical, biological and other diagnostic or investigative services.

With the proposed law, the government expects to crack down on private diagnostic laboratories, especially those engaged in illegal sex determination tests and fraudulent medical practices.

2010-01-25T23:13:00.001-08:00

Paracetamol Makes Vaccines Less Effective, Study Finds

Children who get Tylenol and other brands of the painkiller paracetamol after vaccination to avoid a high fever aren't as well protected as those who don't, a study found.

Babies who took paracetamol, also known as acetaminophen, right after a shot had less fever but also showed a lower immune response, possibly because the drug reduced the inflammation that may favor interactions between immune cells, according to research published in the medical journal The Lancet.

Using the painkiller, also sold under the brands Calpol in the U.K. and Anacin in the U.S., to prevent fever after vaccination has become routine practice and is even recommended in some countries, wrote the researchers, led by Roman Prymula of the University of Defence in Hradec Kralove, the Czech Republic.

Prymula and his colleagues studied 459 healthy babies divided in two groups. One group received three doses of paracetamol after vaccination and the other didn't. The researchers had two goals: to gauge how much fever the children had and how well immunized they were after the initial vaccine and the booster shot.

The children were vaccinated against diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis, hepatitis B, whooping cough, diarrhea-causing rotaviruses and Haemophilus influenzae type B, a bacterium that can cause pneumonia and meningitis.

High Fever

Forty-two percent of the children who got paracetamol after the first shot had a fever of 38 degrees Celsius (100.4 degrees Fahrenheit) or above, compared with 66 percent of those who didn't, the study showed. High fever was rare in both groups. The immune response of the painkiller group, measured by the concentration of antibodies in their blood, was significantly lower, the researchers wrote.

Vaccine policy makers must now assess the implications for vaccinations programs, Robert Chen and Thomas Clark from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta and Scott Halperin from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada, wrote in a comment published by The Lancet with the study. Prymula and colleagues present a compelling case against routine use of paracetamol during pediatric immunizations.

The vaccines used in the study were manufactured by London- based GlaxoSmithKline Plc, which funded the research.

Short Duration Medical Course

2010-01-16T09:46:00.001-08:00

Faced with the grave issue of shortage of doctors in the rural areas of the country, the Union Health Ministry proposed to introduce a new medical course to meet the shortage of doctors in the rural areas. It will be a three and a half years course in Bachelor Degree in Medicine and Surgery to produce doctors who will work in rural areas. Under this programme, the district hospitals with specified bed capacities will be utilized as medical schools.

“The basic formalities of introducing a three and a half year course in Bachelor Degree in Medicine and Surgery is in place. These doctors will work in rural areas and district hospitals with specified bed capacities can be utilized as medical schools for these courses. The Medical Council of India (MCI) is holding a meeting with vice chancellors in the first week of February to fine tune the modalities,” Health Ministry sources said.

As per the proposal, the Health Ministry will provide funds while the state governments will have to conduct examinations and award them the degrees.

The shortage doctors in the rural areas of the country has been a major issue that the government has been facing for a long time as the doctors generally prefer cities for working. Though the government had taken several measures to arrest the trend during the last several years, the situation did not improve as the doctors continued to prefer working in the cities and towns only.

Earlier, former health minister Dr Anbumani Ramadoss had planned to reintroduce the licentiate course for medical practitioners, making it compulsory for them to work in rural areas, in view of the severe shortage of trained personnel across the country. It was to be made compulsory for medical graduates to take up posting in rural areas before getting registration for practice for a fixed term as existed earlier. The Planning Commission had in fact suggested reintroduction of the two-year licentiate programme while a section in the government was for one year practice mandatory for the doctors.

But the incumbent union health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad did not favour that policy and announced some financial and other incentives attached to the rural posting to attract the doctors for serving the rural populace.

End of Experiment

2010-01-14T04:23:00.000-08:00

The entry of Medicine Shoppe into India’s pharmaceutical trade in 1999 had raised some expectations of a pleasant change in retail sales of pharmaceuticals in the country. Like most of the retail businesses, pharmaceutical trade has also been highly unorganized and unprofessional. Starting of retail pharmacies with the brand of Medicine Shoppe had thus given a sort a consumer acceptance and confidence to the patient community at least in the metros. The owners of the US brand, Cardinal Health, came with an ambitious plan to set up 1000 modern fully air conditioned retail outlets in the country by 2010. The US chain had set up as many as 130 shops mostly on a franchisee basis throughout the country in a span of three to four years. In these years the franchisees kept the pharmacies air conditioned during the working hours of the retail outlet with a full time pharmacist at the counter as per the norms laid down by the US company. These specific standards of the US chain in a pharmacy store definitely add to the cost of its running. Franchisees opted for the US brand had to live with these additional costs with no corresponding increase in trade margins. With profitability taking a hit, owners slowly started getting out of the franchisee arrangements from 2006 onwards. Cardinal Health finally pulled out of the venture last year.

Most of the 5 lakh retail chemist shops in the country are being run by traders with no sufficient storage space, no air conditioning and with no presence of pharmacists at the counters. Although these are statutory requirements provided in the Drugs & Cosmetics Act, very few in the trade follow them. With continuing shortage of inspection staff, drug control departments in most states do not take any routine action against such lapses. At the same time, number of pharmacies in the country is multiplying leading to severe competition and unethical practices on account of huge growth in demand for pharmaceuticals over the years. Opening of Medicine Shoppe outlets in Mumbai and other metros happened in this environment. Although Medicine Shoppe failed, business groups like Apollo and Zydus caught up the concept of organized retailing in pharmaceuticals and established their own retail chains in the country. They are being professionally managed and are somewhat successful mainly because of the financial backing they get from the group. One should not think that these groups will wind up their operations like Medicine Shoppe. The economics of running a retail store is the concern of the entrepreneur who gets into that business. But, it is important that a pharmacy need to be run professionally as the delivery of drugs to the patient takes place there. For this, presence and advice of a qualified pharmacist is necessary. And the pharmacist should be well equipped with knowledge of community pharmacy, patient counseling, biochemistry, clinical pharmacy and drug store management. The vast majority of retail medical stores in the country have to, therefore, transform themselves to such modern pharmacy shops if they have to withstand the spread of modern pharmacy stores being set up by the powerful business groups.

2010-01-01T08:32:00.000-08:00

Code of Ethics

2009-12-12T03:58:00.000-08:00

CODE OF PHARMACEUTICAL ETHICS
As adopted by Pharmacy Council of India

CHAPTER I

General Introduction

The profession of pharmacy is noble in its ideals and pious in its character. Apart from being a career for earning livelihood it has inherent in it the attitude of service and sacrifice in the interests of the suffering humanity. In handling, selling, distributing, compounding and dispensing medical substances including poisons and potent drugs a pharmacist is, in collaboration with medical men and others, charged with the onerous responsibility of safeguarding the health of people, as such he has to uphold the interests of his patrons above all things. The lofty ideals set up by Charaka, the ancient Philosopher Physician and Pharmacist in his erunciation : "Even if your own life be in danger you should not betray or neglect the interests of your patients" should be fondly cherished by all Pharmacist.

Government restricts the practice of Pharmacy to those who qualify under regulatory requirements and grant them privileges necessarily denied to others. In return Government expects the Pharmacist to recognise his responsibilities and to fulfill his professional obligations honorably and with due regard for the well being of Society.

Standards of professional conduct for pharmacy are necessary in the public interest to ensure an efficient pharmaceutical service. Every pharmacist should not only be willing to play his part in giving such a service but should also avoid any act or omission which would prejudice the giving of the services or impair confidence in any respect for pharmacists as a body.

The nature of pharmaceutical practice is such that its demands may be beyond the capacity of the individual to carry out or to carry out as quickly or as efficiently as the needs of the public require. There should, therefore at all times, be a readiness to assist colleagues with information or advice.

A Pharmacist must, above all be a good citizen and must uphold and defend the laws of the state and the Nation.

CHAPTER II

Pharmacists in Relation to his Job
Scope of Pharmaceutical Services:

When premises are registered under statutory requirements and opened as a pharmacy, a reasonably comprehensive pharmaceutical service should be provided. This involves the supply of commonly required medicines of this nature without undue delay. It also involves willingness to furnish emergency supplies at all times.

The condition in a pharmacy should be such as to preclude avoidable risk or error or of accidental contamination in the preparation, dispensing and supply of medicines.

The appearance of the premises should reflect the professional character of the pharmacy. It should be clear to the public that the practice of pharmacy is carried out in the establishment. Signs, notices, descriptions, wording on business, stationary and related indications, should be restrained in size, design and terms. Descriptions which denote or imply pharmaceutical qualifications should be limited to those of which the use is restricted by law and should not draw invidious distinction between pharmacists. A notice stating that dispensing under (Employees State Insurance Scheme) E.S.L.S. or any other such other schemes sponsored by Government is carried out may be exhibited at the premises. In every pharmacy there should be a pharmacist in personal control of the pharmacy who will be regarded as primarily responsible for the observance of proper standards of conduct in connection with it. Any obstruction of the pharmacist in the execution of his duty in the respect by the owner will be regarded as a failure on the part of the owner to observe the standards in question.

Handling of Prescriptions:

When a prescription is presented for dispensing. It should be received by a pharmacist without any discussion or comment over it regarding the merits and demerits of its therapeutic efficiency. The Pharmacist should not men show any physiognomic expression of alarm or astonishment upon the receipt of a prescription; as such things may cause anxiety in patients or their agents and may even shake their faith in their physician. Any question on a prescription should be answered with every caution and care; it should neither offend a patron nor should it disclose any information, which might have been intentionally, withheld from him.

It is not within the privilege of a Pharmacist to add, omit or substitute any ingredient or alter the composition of a prescription without the consent of the prescriber, unless the change is emergent or is demanded purely by the technique of the pharmaceutical art and does not cause any alteration in the therapeutic action of the recipe. In case of any obvious error in it due to any ommission, incompatibility or overdosage, the prescription should be referred back to the prescriber for correction or approval of the change suggested. While such an act is imperative in the best interest of the patient, in no case should it be done in a manner, which may jeopardize the reputation of the prescriber concerned.

In matter of refilling prescriptions a pharmacist should solely be guided by the instructions of the prescriber aid he should advise patients to use medicines or remedies strictly in accordance with the intention of the physician as noted on the prescription.

Handling of Drugs:

All possible care should be taken to dispense a prescription correctly by weighing and measuring all ingredients in correct proportions by the help of scale and measures: visual estimations must be avoided. Further, a Pharmacist should always use drugs and medicinal preparations of standard quality available. He should never fill his prescriptions with spurious, sub-standard and unethical preparations.

A Pharmacist should be very Judicious in dealing with drugs and medicinal preparations known to be judicious or to be used for addiction or any other abusive purposes. Such drugs and preparations should not be supplied to any one if there is reason to suppose that it is required for such purpose.

Apprentice Pharmacists:

While in-charge of a dispensary, drugstore or hospital pharmacy where apprentice pharmacists are admitted for practical training, a pharmacist should see that the trainees are given full facilities for their work so that on the completion of their training they have acquired sufficient technique and skill to make themselves dependable pharmacists. No certificate or credentials should be granted unless the above criterion is attained and the recipient has proved himself worthy of the same.

CHAPTER III

Pharmacists in Relation to his trade Price Structure:

Prices charged from customers should be fair and in keeping with the quality and quantity of commodity supplied and the labour and skill required in making it ready for use, so as to ensure an adequate remuneration to the pharmacist taking into consideration his knowledge, skill, the time consumed and the great responsibility involved, but at the same time without unduly taxing the purchaser.

Fair Trade Practices:

No attempt should be made to capture the business of a contemporary by cut-throat competition, that is, by offering any sort of prizes or gifts or any kind of allurement to patronizers or by knowingly charging lower prices for medical commodities than those charged by fellow pharmacist if they reasonable. In case any order or prescription genuinely intended to be served by some dispensary is brought by mistake to another, the latter should be refuse to accept it and should direct the customer to the right place. Labels, trademarks and other signs and symbols of contemporaries should not be imitated or copied.

Purchase of Drugs:

Drugs should always be purchased from genuine and reputable sources and a pharmacist should always be on his guard not to aid or abet, directly or indirectly the manufacture, possession, distribution and sale of spurious or sub- standard drugs.

Hawking of Drugs:

Hawking of drugs and medicinal should not be encouraged nor should any attempt be made to solicit orders for such substances from door to door. `Self-service` method of operating pharmacies and drug - stores should not be used as this practice may lead to the distribution of therapeutic substances without an expert supervision and thus would encourage self-medication, which is highly undesirable.

Advertising and Displays:

No display material either on the premises, in the press or elsewhere should be used by a pharmacist in connection with the sale to the public of medicines or medical appliances which is undignified in style or which contains:-

(a) Any wording design or illustration reflecting unfavourably on pharmacists collectivity or upon any group or individual.
(b) A disparaging reference, direct of by implication to other suppliers
(c)Misleading,or exaggerated statements or claims.
(d) The word "Cure" in reference to an ailment or symptoms of ill-health.
(e)A guarantee of therapeutic efficacy.
(f) An appeal to fear,
(g) An offer to refund money paid.
(h) A prize, competition or similar scheme.
(i) Any reference to a medical practitioner or a hospital or the use of the terms "Doctor" or "Dr." or "Nurse" in connection with the name of the preparation not already established.
(j) A reference to sexual weakness, premature ageing or loss of virility.
(k) A reference to complaints of sexual nature in terms which lack the reticence proper to the subject.

No article or preparation advertised to the public by means of display material of a kind mentioned above should be exhibited in a pharmacy if it is known or could reasonably be known that the article or preparation is so advertised.

Contraceptive preparations and appliances or their illustrations should not be exhibited except a notice approved by regulations or bearing the words "Family Planning Requisites". Under no circumstances should lustful obscene and indecent publications of any kind or description be sold or distributed. As this practice is highly detrimental to the moral welfare of the Nation.

CHAPTER IV

Pharmacists in Relation to Medical Profession Limitation of Professional Activity:

Whereas it is expected that medical practitioners in general would not take to the practice of pharmacy by owing drug stores, as this ultimately leads to coded prescriptions and monopolistic practices detrimental to the pharmaceutical profession and also to the interest of patients, it should be made a general rule that pharmacists under no circumstances take to medical practice, that is to diagnosing diseases and prescribing remedies therefore even if requested by patrons to do so. In cases of accidents and emergencies a pharmacist nay, however, render First Aid to the victim.

No pharmacist should recommend particular medical practitioner unless specifically asked to do so.

Clandstine Arrangements:

No pharmacist should enter into any secret arrangements or contract with a physician to offer him any commission or any advantage of any description in return for his favour of patronage by recommending his dispensary or drugstore or even his self to patients.

Liaison With Public:

Being a liaison between medical profession and people, a pharmacist should always keep himself abreast with the modern developments in pharmacy and other allied sciences by regularly reading books, journals, magazines and other periodicals , so that on the one hand he may be in a position to advise the physician on pharmaceutical matters like those of colours, flavours, vehicles and newer forms of administration of medicines, on the other, he may be able to educate the people for maintaining healthy and sanitary conditions of living.

Thus a pharmacist can contribute his share in the nation-building activities of the country. A pharmacist should at all times endeavour to promote knowledge and contribute his quota in the advancement of learning.

A pharmacist should never disclose any information which he has acquired during his professional activities to any third party or person unless requires by law to do so. He should never betray the confidence which his patrons repose in him or which he has won by virtue of his eminent character and conduct.

CHAPTER V

Pharmacist in Relation To his Profession Professional Vigilance:

It is not only sufficient for a pharmacist to be law-abiding and to deter from doing things derogatory to Society and his profession, but it should be his bounden duty to make others also fulfil the provisions of the pharmaceutical and other laws and regulations. He should not be afraid of bringing or causing a miscreant to be brought to book, may be a member of his own profession. Whereas it is obligatory for a pharmacist to extend help and cooperation to a fellow member in his legitimate needs, scientific, technical or otherwise, he is to be, at the same time, vigilant to weed the undesirable out of the profession and thus help to maintain its fair name and traditions.

Law-abiding Citizens :

A pharmacist engaged in profession has to be an enlightened citizen endowed with a fair knowledge of the land and he should strive to countenance and defend them. He should be particularly conversant with the enactments pertaining to food, drug, pharmacy, health, sanitation and the like and endeavour to abide by them in every phase of his life. A pharmacist is a unit whole and his life cannot be divided into compartments.

Relationship with Professional Organisations :

In order to inculcate a corporate life in his own professional colleagues, a pharmacist should join and advance the cause of all such organisations, the aims and objects of which are conducive to scientific moral and cultural well-being of pharmacists and at the same time are in no way contrary to the code of pharmaceutical ethics.

Decorum and Propriety:

A pharmacist should always refrain from doing all such acts and deeds which are not in consonance with the decorum and propriety of pharmaceutical profession or which are likely to bring discredit or upgrade to the profession or to himself.

PROFESSIONALISM IN PHARMACY

2009-12-11T09:28:00.000-08:00

PROFESSIONALISM IN PHARMACY

Structured specially by Bhagavan P S, former Deputy Director (Pharmacy), Ministry of Health & F W, Govt of Karnataka.

A person having specialized knowledge and skill is called a professional. A clinician, Nurse, physiotherapist, technicians in radiology, laboratory, advocate, painter, carpenter, cobbler, Taylor, Electrician, mechanic are all called professionals. They are indispensable in their job.

Likewise the pharmacist is also a professional. But unfortunately the pharmacist has betrayed the people at both ends and has deliberately and knowingly allowed all and sundry to do his job. Hence, he is losing his professional status.

But whether a person in the garb of the pharmacist likes or dislikes, there is no second opinion that professional service is required in the drugs management and dispensing In the interest of the patient. Drugs are very sensitive molecules and the formulations are much more sensitive to the environment. They need to be handled, cared, distributed / dispensed with utmost care with due documentation and counseling so that they retain their consistency and potency till they are consumed. The professional care-chain that starts at the manufacturing level should continue up to the patient’s bed.

No choice is left to the person in the garb of a pharmacist to ignore his professional obligation. Any person who doesn’t wish to serve as a ;Professional pharmacist’ but wants to enjoy the benefits of a ‘Pharmacist’ should quit and opt out to other jobs. Though it looks harsh, it is good for the profession and to others who have opted to serve as professional pharmacist.

Professionalism is nothing but value addition to the job done.
Picking a strip of tablet from the shelf and handing over to the client is any body’s job. But ensuring correct storage, understanding the prescription, checking the strength and dose and handing over to the client with due instructions on storage, handling and dosage regimen and what side effect to expect and what to do in case of such an event etc is a value addition to the job that can be done only by the professional. Thus Professional service can be rendered only by a ‘Professional’. Professionalism is one that ‘provides all round material and service support to the client.

The premises, the surroundings, the look, appearance, the ambience of the pharmacy and the look, appearance, dress, attitude, behaviour, approach and approachability, way of communication and way of closing transaction – all have to be trimmed and well attended to give professional impression to the clients.

That means not only the service but the look and appearance too are essential to induce confidence on the clients on the availability of the professional service.

How to give professional outlook to the hospital pharmacy?

Professionalism can be introduced in two simple steps as under:

Step 1

Evaluate how much professional is your pharmacy:
(Use terms like bad / satisfactory / good / best to record your observation)
Particulars Your observation Remarks
I Look and appearance
a. Location:
b. Look and appearance
c. Location sign
d. lighting, ventilation cleanliness and ambience and approachability
e. Evaluation criteria
II Logistics
Procurement:
a. Prequalification of vendors
b. Stock definition
c. Priority list
d. Quantification
e. Bid evaluation
f. Purchase
g. Inward documentation
h. Payment facilitation
i. Stock management
j. Orderly arrangement with no black-holes.
k. Reasonable stock load Proportionate to the consumption
l. Quality checks and controls
m. Isolation of Expired / prohibited stocks
n. Product retrieval method
o. Evaluation criteria
III Personal management
a. Personal hygiene and dress code of Pharmacist and other workers
b. Punctuality
c. Identity of pharmacist
d. Evaluation criteria

IV Dispensing
a. Prescription handling
b. Communication
c. Skill
d. Counseling
e. Evaluation criteria
V Documentation
a. Source identification
b. Stock location
c. Stock count
d. Stock evaluation
e. Stock audit
f. Balance sheet
g. Evaluation criteria
VI Waste disposal
a. SOP for scientific disposal of pharmacy waste
b. Facility for scientific disposal of pharmacy waste
c. Evaluation criteria

Step 2

a. Prepare a classified list of the above particulars, carry out further gap analysis to identify the weak areas and risk areas in each category and write down the solution to make good the deficiency.
b. Prepare a draft SOP as per your observation and solution, discuss with colleagues with open mind to accept any rational suggestion.
c. Work out on your own the suggested system to understand practicability, usefulness and to see whether it improves the system with due accountability
d. Introduce the new SOP bit cautiously without disturbing the existing supply chain with respect to time line, quantity and expenditure and push the proposal to the administration if it involves administrative or financial sanctions.
e. Be open to any modification if warranted during the operational phase of the SOP.

2009-11-28T03:15:00.000-08:00

PCI to Start 2-Years Bridge Course for Diploma Pharmacists

For the pharmacy students who have completed the diploma courses (D Pharm) and want to upgrade their qualification to degree course (B Pharm), the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) will start a bridge course from next academic year starting from June next year.

The PCI in its executive committee meeting recently has constituted a task force under Dr Dipankar Chakraborty to give final shape to the programme. The task force will deliberate on the rules and regulations to be put in force to conduct the course from June, 2010. It will be a two-year course and it will be offered to the candidates who are already in pharmacy services.

The condense course will be a blended mode of education and the students will have the freedom to choose either the regular contact programme or the distant education according to their convenience. The regular course will be conducted as evening course for the convenience of the pharmacists who are in service. Programmes like patient-counselling, hospital pharmacy management, community pharmacy management and drug information dispensation will get weightage in the curriculum, PCI chairman Dr B Suresh said.

Dr Dipankar Chakraborty also said that the syllabus for the bridge course will be entirely different from the conventional B Pharma course as the entire focus of the course will be on pharmaco-therapeutics. There will be no more chemistry, pharmaceuticals and such other subjects in the bridge course as the intention of the course is entirely different. While the bridge course is intended to upgrade the minimum qualification of the pharmacists from diploma to degree, the syllabus for the B Pharm course is framed for the purpose of further higher studies.

The bridge course will go a long way in upgrading the minimum qualification of the pharmacists who are in service from diploma to degree, especially at a time when there is an outcry to upgrade the minimum registrable qualification for a pharmacist in the country from diploma from degree on the lines of developed countries.

2009-11-18T09:02:00.000-08:00

Congratulations !

We got PB-2

For order click here

2009-11-08T03:09:00.000-08:00

NATIONAL PHARMACY WEEK 2009-10

Dear Pharmacists,

Every year the IPA celebrates the 'National Pharmacy Week' (NPW) all over India in the third week of November. NPW this year will be from November 15^thonwards. For the last few years, IPA has been recommending that the activities and celebrations based on the theme should continue the whole year round, with enthusiasm and zeal. This will help us give more time to our efforts, and also sustain it round the year!

The theme for this year is:

'MAKE PHARMACY YOUR CAREER'

This year's theme has been mooted by me, as President of Indian Pharmaceutical Association, to motivate students towards the field of Pharmacy. The practice of pharmacy is a vital part of a complete health care system. The number of people requiring health care services has steadily increased, and this trend is likely to continue.

But the awareness among the people, particularly class 12^th students, has to be increased a lot. It is a well known fact that Pharmacy Profession is going through a difficult phase which is evident by fewer admissions in the pharmacy colleges across the country. We have to prevent this stagnation which is plaguing our pharmacy profession. This can only be done by making the best use of this opportunity, plan and conduct activities in propagating the message, and bring forward the potentials and benefits of a pharmacist in the healthcare system. We can use this as an opportunity to make known to the public various aspects of pharmacy, its importance, various career options, and opportunities.

We should aim to spread the message far and wide in society that there exist pharmacists and their importance!

I have included material highlighting the career opportunities in pharmacy under the section "To Youth" of this website. Download it and propagate the information to

1) School & High School students from STD 9^thto 12^th.

2) Parents of these students

3) General Public

Now that we have the IPA - SF, the strong force of students (which generally forms the backbone of our NPW activities), we can now more vigorously channelize them, by working together with the state branches & representatives of IPA SF.

-Dr. B Suresh

2009-11-04T06:10:00.000-08:00

A RTI HAS BEEN FILED REGARDING REPORT OF FAST TRACK COMMITTEE

Dear friends,

An RTI has been filed Regarding Report of Fast Track Committee for PB2 to Pharmacists.

To see the application visit the link below.

RTI for Fast Track Committee Report

2009-11-01T10:42:00.001-08:00

Please Read these are words of Dr. B. Suresh, President, Pharmacy Council of India

Dear Pharmacists,

The National Health Bill, 2009 is under preparation. It has come to my notice that Pharmacists have not been given due recognition in the bill. It reveals that "Pharmacist" and various issues relating to pharmaceutical care are not included in the bill.

The pharmacist is the provider of "health care" to society by way of contributing its services in -

Industry: Research, Manufacturing, Analysis, quality control of drugs etc.
Hospital and Community Pharmacy: Dispensing of medicines where they come in direct contact with patient and play an important role as provider of pharmaceutical care.

In the light of above facts, I, as the President of Pharmacy Council of India, have suggested the following to the Ministry of Health and family Welfare, with regard to the National Health Bill for kind consideration.

To include Pharmaceutical care under the definition of "health care".
To include pharmacist & pharmaceutical care under the definition of "health care provider" so as to read under-

"health care provider" means a medical doctor, nurse, pharmacist, other paramedical professional, social worker or other appropriately trained and qualified person with specific skills relevant to particular healthcare, nursing, rehabilitative, palliative, convalescent, preventative or other health services, pharmaceutical care and any reference to "service provide" shall mean the same unless specifically stated otherwise;

To include pharmaceutical services to read as under- development or new application of pharmaceuticals, medicines and pharmaceutical services

To include definition of "Right to Quality Medicines" to be read as under- "Right to Quality Medicines" means right of everyone to safe and effective medicines.
To include drugs in the third line to read as under- Ensuring access to underlying determinants of health: food, drugs, water, sanitation and
To include the following as sub-section 1) after k)- 1) ensure availability of essential medicines.
After sub-section (11)of section 14, to include sub-section reg. "Right to Quality Medicines" to be read as under-

"Right to Quality Medicines" means right of everyone to safe and effective medicines.

After sub-section (n) of section 18, add the following sub-section (m) as under- m) ensuring rational use of drugs and pharmacovigilance.
Best Health Care facilities can be provided if all members of Health Care team work in coordination, harmonization & synchronization with each other. Hence it is suggested to add representatives of central statutory councils regulating education and practice of health profession in the "Constitution and Composition of State Health Board" like-

-PCI

-MCI

-INC

-DCI etc.

To include the following after sub-section g)- h)Promoting rational use of drugs, pharmacovigilance.

All the Pharmacy fraternity should stand up together and raise our voice against the injustice being meted out to us. I hope, along with the support of all of you, justice will be done to us.

2009-10-31T11:14:00.000-07:00

Pharmacist is A Drug Expert

Depending upon where he is placed a pharmacist will be carrying on a number of duties. A pharmacist who is in the profession will be working in a hospital or in a medical shop. In a hospital he may be working as a clinical pharmacist or as a hospital pharmacist. In both these capacities he will be doing a number of duties requiring technical skills, such as dispensing, therapeutic drug monitoring, organizing a drug information center, developing guidelines for rational drug use, helping with pharmacoeconomics, giving patient counseling and doing drug store management. Among all these duties the duty which is having maximum interface with the public is giving patient counseling during dispensing.

Patient counseling is defined as providing medication information orally or in written form to the patients or their representatives on directions of use, advice on side effects, precautions, storage, diet and life style modifications. The patient should be told a number of points such as why, how, at what time and with what liquid he should take the medicines. The patient should be told about how the medicine is to be removed from the package, how it should be administered, what the usual side effects are, whether there are any drug interactions, whether there are any food drug interactions and how long he should take the medicines.

For example when antibiotics and antifungals are being dispensed the following is the advice to be given to the patient.
ANTIBIOTICS AND ANTIFUNGALS
Many different types of drugs are used to treat infections caused by bacteria and fungi.

1. Tell your doctor about any skin rashes you may have had with antibiotics or that you get while taking this medication. A rash can be a symptom of an allergic reaction, and allergic reactions can be very serious.
2. Tell your doctor if you experience diarrhea.
3. if you are using birth control, consult with your health care provider because some methods may not work when taken with antibiotics.
4. be sure to finish all your medication even if you are feeling better.
5. Take with plenty of water.

Thus the pharmacist is a DRUG EXPERT who carries out valuable, knowledge based duties and serves the community in a very dutiful manner.”

2009-10-23T10:08:00.000-07:00

Need of Upgradation of Qualification of Pharmacists

The present minimum qualification for the posts should be upgraded in a time-bound manner. Higher posts should have a minimum qualification of B. Pharm. with relevant experience. It should be mandatory for pharmacists to undergo continuing professional development, and this should be linked to increments and promotions. All pharmacists working in hospitals having D. Pharm. qualification need to go through continuing and higher education courses to upgrade their qualification to B. Pharm. Necessary condensed course curricula will require to be framed for this purpose as was done for upgrading the Licentiates in Medicine to the M.B.B.S. level immediately after independence. We are already far behind in this regard and need to take accelerated action. This opportunity must be provided.

The curriculum of B. pharma should also be patient oriented for those who want to join Hospitals jobs as pharmacists instead of Industry oriented.

2009-10-16T06:45:00.000-07:00

PHARMACIST EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION

WISHES ALL

A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS DIWALI !

2009-10-04T10:27:00.000-07:00

Formation of Indian Pharmacists Association

Dear friends,

Pharmacists of various departments all over India are uniting to form an All India level association. This is a move to strengthen pharmacists serving in Govt. service and to show unity of theirs.

A need of such type of association was felt from long time. As a result website of Indian Pharmacists Association has been launched as the first move. Address of website is www.ipa.medlineindia.com.
Next move will be to register the association.

We hope this association will work for the expectations of Pharmacists all over India

2009-10-03T03:04:00.001-07:00

Authorization of Use of Expired Tamiflu for Oral Suspension

[10-02-2009]
FDA is authorizing the use of certain lots of expired Tamiflu for Oral Suspension as part of the federal government’s response to the 2009 H1N1 Influenza public health emergency.

In July 2009, FDA authorized 4 lots of Tamiflu for Oral Suspension for use beyond their labeled expiration dates. FDA is now authorizing additional lots in an effort to ensure that Tamiflu for Oral Suspension is available for patients during this public health emergency. The lots of Tamiflu for Oral Suspension that are being authorized are part of the Strategic National Stockpile and have been tested through the federal government’s Shelf-Life Extension Program (SLEP).

Under SLEP, FDA conducts scientific testing and analysis to determine if certain drugs are acceptable for use beyond their expiration date. During testing, FDA comprehensively evaluates each lot to assure the quality and stability of the product. Through the SLEP testing process, FDA has determined that data support the use of these lots of Tamiflu for Oral Suspension beyond their expiration dates.

The lots of Tamiflu for Oral Suspension now authorized by FDA for use beyond their expiration dates are not required to be relabeled with information about the use of the products beyond their expiration dates. Therefore, healthcare professionals and patients might receive Tamiflu for Oral Suspension that is beyond its expiration date. In addition, fact sheets for both patients and healthcare professionals will be made available by public health officials. These fact sheets will contain information about the authorized use of these products beyond their expiration dates.

These decisions to authorize the use of certain lots of Tamiflu for Oral Suspension beyond their expiration dates are based on rigorous scientific testing and analysis. Healthcare professionals may wish to discuss this information with patients to inform them that the medication they have been given is authorized for use based on scientific testing and analysis.

Considerations for Healthcare Professionals:

* Be aware that specific lots of Tamiflu for Oral Suspension have been authorized for use beyond their expiration dates
* Understand that FDA has determined that data support the use of certain lots of Tamiflu for Oral Suspension beyond their expiration dates
* Consider discussing this information with patients to help them understand this information and address any concerns they may have about these products
* For any Tamiflu that is beyond its expiration date, you may verify if it has been authorized for use through the following website: http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/PublicHealthFocus/ucm154962.htm
* Consider discussing with patients, families, and caregivers the benefits of taking antiviral medications in relation to the potential risks of untreated illness

Information for Patients, Families, and Caregivers:

* FDA has determined that certain lots of Tamiflu for Oral Suspension are authorized for use beyond their expiration dates based on scientific testing and analysis
* Discuss any concerns you have about using Tamiflu for Oral Suspension with your healthcare professional
* Make sure to follow all directions given by your healthcare professional when using Tamiflu for Oral Suspension
* If you want to look up the lot number for your Tamiflu to see if it is authorized for use beyond its expiration date, go to http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/PublicHealthFocus/ucm154962.htm and look for your lot number in the table under “Tamiflu Lots Whose Expiration Date Has Been Extended”

2009-10-02T00:30:00.000-07:00

Bacteria Have Role in Swine Flu Deaths

WebMD Health News

Reviewed By Louise Chang, MD

Sept. 30, 2009 -- Bacterial infections play a major role in H1N1 swine flu deaths, the CDC warns.

The swine flu bug can cause fatal pneumonia all by itself. But in a large number of cases it gets help from other deadly germs that take advantage of a weakened immune system and cause pneumonia.

A CDC investigation into 77 U.S. swine flu deaths found that 22 of the victims -- 29% -- suffered from at least one bacterial co-infection.

Ten of the 22 infections were caused by pneumococcus, an infection that can be prevented with either of two approved pneumococcal vaccines. The vaccine is recommended for any adult who has asthma or smokes, has a long-term health problem or immunity-lowering condition, or is over 65. It's routine for kids to get a four-dose series beginning at age 2 months.

Only 16% of the 18- to 49-year-olds who should get pneumococcal vaccine actually do so. The CDC is asking doctors to specifically target this population for vaccination this flu season.

Drug-resistant staph infection -- MRSA -- was involved in five of the deaths.

Earlier CDC reports found that H1N1 swine flu deaths tended to be caused by direct infection of the lungs with the new flu bug. That may have caused doctors to let down their guard against bacterial infections in flu patients.

That's a big mistake. Because very few bacterial infections can be detected with routine blood tests, the CDC now advises doctors who suspect bacterial infections in swine flu patients to treat them with anti-flu drugs and antibiotics.

When flu takes a turn for the worse, it's important to seek medical care right away. The CDC report carries dramatic examples of H1N1 swine flu deaths with bacterial infections:

A 2-month-old girl, with no known underlying condition, died with pneumococcal infection after an illness of only one day.
A 9-year-old girl with no reported underlying condition died with a strep infection after an illness of six days.
A 34-year-old man with high blood pressure and obesity died with pneumococcal infection after an illness of about three days.

For the 17 patients whose length of illness was known, illness ranged from one to 25 days with a median duration of six days.

Among the 22 patients who died of H1N1 swine flu with bacterial co-infection, ages ranged from 2 months to 56 years, with a median age of 31 years.

The CDC reports the findings in an early-release issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

2009-09-29T06:00:00.001-07:00

Only 40% of Parents Intend to Vaccinate Kids Against Pandemic Flu

Elsevier Global Medical News
September 28, 2009

Despite clinical evidence suggesting that children are at higher risk for pandemic influenza A(H1N1) complications, only 40% of parents surveyed said they plan to have their children vaccinated against that strain of the flu.

The survey, conducted in August by the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health, also found that 54% of parents intended to have their children vaccinated against the regular seasonal flu.

The survey shows that many parents don’t grasp the full implications of pandemic flu’s possible effect on children, Dr. Matthew M. Davis wrote in the survey report, released Sept. 24.

“In both their intentions to vaccinate children and their comparisons of H1N1 and seasonal flu, many parents do not feel that H1N1 is a significant health threat,” wrote Dr. Davis of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. “Nearly one-half of parents who do not plan to vaccinate their children indicated that they were not worried about their children getting H1N1 disease; nearly one in five believed that H1N1 flu is not a serious disease.”

The survey cohort comprised 1,678 adult parents; the sample was then weighted to reflect population figures from the U.S. Census Bureau. Although 40% of parents said they were definitely or probably going to have their children vaccinated against pandemic flu, 29% said that they definitely or probably would not have their children vaccinated.

Most of these (56%) said they were worried about side effects of the vaccine. Other reasons for declining included not being concerned that their children would get H1N1 flu (46%); that medication can treat the flu, rendering vaccination unnecessary (42%); too much hassle to get two vaccine doses (30%); their school or day care provider doesn’t require the vaccination (25%); worry about the vaccine’s cost (23%); and the belief that H1N1 is not a serious disease (20%).

Parents who planned to have their children vaccinated held the converse views, with most believing that H1N1 is a serious disease (83%) and 80% being worried that their children with contract it.

A racial/ethnic breakdown of the results showed that Hispanic parents were far more likely than white or black parents to plan on having their children vaccinated against pandemic flu (52% vs. 38% and 30%, respectively). This was a “notable finding,” Dr. Davis said. “It may reflect a higher perceived risk among Hispanics, given the well-publicized outbreak of H1N1 flu in Mexico in early 2009.”

The survey also asked parents to compare the perceived risks of H1N1 with those of seasonal flu. About half of the respondents said the two flus will be comparable in the number of children who catch it, the number who will need to be hospitalized, and the number of school days children will miss. About a third said that H1N1 will be worse than seasonal flu in all those ways, and 20% said seasonal flu will be worse.

Dr. Davis suggested that health care providers can help parents understand the risk that H1N1 flu may present to their children.

“Public health officials and health care providers must play a critical role in ensuring that parents understand the risks of H1N1 flu illness and H1N1 flu vaccination, and that children have adequate and timely access to the vaccine,” he wrote.

2009-09-27T00:56:00.001-07:00

FDA Approves New Drug to Treat Psoriasis

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Stelara (ustekinumab), a biologic product for adults who have a moderate to severe form of psoriasis.

Plaque psoriasis is an immune system disorder that results in the rapid overproduction of skin cells. About 6 million people in the United States have plaque psoriasis which is characterized by thickened patches of inflamed, red skin, often covered with silvery scales.

“This approval provides an alternative treatment for people with plaque psoriasis, which can cause significant physical discomfort from pain and itching and result in poor self-image for people who are self-conscious about their appearance,” said Julie Beitz, M.D., director, Office of Drug Evaluation III, in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

Stelara is a monoclonal antibody, a laboratory-produced molecule that mimics the body’s own antibodies that are produced as part of the immune system. The biologic treats psoriasis by blocking the action of two proteins which contribute to the overproduction of skin cells and inflammation.

Three studies of 2,266 patients evaluated the biologic’s safety and effectiveness.

Since Stelara reduces the immune system’s ability to fight infections, the product poses a risk of infection. Serious infections have been reported in patients receiving the product and some of them have lead to hospitalization. These infections were caused by viruses, fungi, or bacteria that have spread throughout the body. There may also be an increased risk of developing cancer.

The FDA is requiring a risk evaluation and mitigation strategy or REMS for Stelara that includes a communication plan targeted to healthcare providers and a medication guide for patients.

Stelara is manufactured by Centocor Ortho Biotech Inc. of Horsham, Pa., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson of New Brunswick, N.J.

2009-09-26T05:11:00.001-07:00

Wrong Dose of Liquid Tamiflu to Children

Doctors warn that parents across the country could give the wrong dose of Tamiflu to their children as treatment for the H1N1 swine flu because the dosing instructions don't always coincide with the measurement markings on the syringe that comes with the liquid medication.

The warning letter, penned by scientists from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, Emory University in Atlanta and Weill Cornell School of Medicine in New York City and published online Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine, also urges doctors and pharmacists to be on the lookout for this potential dosing mismatch and to help parents figure out exactly how much Tamiflu to give their child.

The authors cite a case that they say is probably happening all over the United States: The parents of a 6-year-old girl diagnosed with the H1N1 virus received a prescription for Tamiflu Oral Suspension that told them to give her three-fourths of a teaspoon of the medicine two times a day. However, the dosing syringe inside the box was marked in milligrams. The confused parents, both of whom are health professionals, had to figure out how to convert the measurement, something most parents would find too daunting to do.

"It's an egregious error that there is a conflict in the prescription labeling instructions and the dosage device that comes in the exact same box. It's incredibly confusing to parents," letter co-author Michael Wolf, an associate professor of medicine and learning sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, said in a news release from the university. "Tamiflu is one of the main courses of treatment right now for H1N1, and it is being widely used among children, even infants."

The letter's authors recommend that all pharmacies and physicians be instructed to ensure that the prescription label instructions for use are in the same dosing units as those on the measurement device.

"Parents being prescribed Tamiflu for their children need to make sure they understand exactly how to take it at the time they pick it up at the pharmacy," lead letter author Dr. Ruth Parker, a professor of medicine at Emory, said in the release.

Wolf warned that an overdose could be toxic, and an underdose could be ineffective.

And even more complex calculations might be necessary now that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Tamiflu for off-label use among children under the age of 1, because the syringe doesn't include small enough measuring increments for these youngest patients.

"We need to have a better system for ensuring there are standardized directions for administering drugs to children," letter co-author Dr. Alastair Wood, a professor of medicine and pharmacology at the Weill Cornell School of Medicine in New York City, said in the news release. "We need to move to a system where all doses are given in the same units, preferably milliliters."

Meanwhile, a report released Thursday supports recent U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations not to use negative rapid test results for management of patients that may be infected with the pandemic swine flu virus.

Researchers in Connecticut assessed the performance of the rapid influenza diagnostic test (RIDT) used during outbreaks of pandemic influenza A (H1N1) at two schools in Greenwich in May 2009. Of the 63 people tested at Greenwich Hospital, infection was confirmed in 49 patients.

The results of the RIDT were compared with the reverse transcription--polymerase chain reaction assay. A low sensitivity of 47% was found for the rapid test. This poor performance couldn't be explained by the clinical features of the patients or by the timing of the specimen collection, said Dr. James R. Sabetta, of the Greenwich Department of Health and the Connecticut Department of Public Health, and colleagues.

While a positive rapid test for influenza is helpful, a negative test doesn't rule out pandemic swine flu, the researchers said.

The report appears in the Sept. 25 issue of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, published by the CDC.

2009-09-19T05:54:00.000-07:00

Health Ministry to Scrap Pharmacy Council of India

A special task force of the Union Health Ministry has suggested the scrapping of all Medical Education regulatory bodies and instead merging all of them or setting up of a single regulatory body.

As per the recommendations, regulatory bodies including the Medical Council of India (MCI), Dental Council of India (DCI), Pharmacy Council of India (PCI), Nursing Council of India (NCI) and Councils under the Department of AYUSH would be scrapped.

The move aims at carefully delinking the entire medical academia from the existing regulatory bodies and setting up the National Council for Human Resources in Health Sector (NCHRH) as an over-arching regulatory body for the health sector to reform the current regulatory framework and enhance the supply of skilled personnel.

The NCHRH, as suggested by the Task Force, will oversee the working of the existing medical bodies and deal with the assessment and accreditation of medical institutions across the country.

According to sources, the Task Force is also looking into critical and important matters such as shortage of doctors, cross-connectivity in medical education and creating new resources.

Once the Task Force is ready with its recommendations, a draft bill for amendments in the Medical Council Act 1956 will then be made which will be sent to the Ministry of Law and the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).

For more details visit: www.medlineindia.com

2009-09-19T05:46:00.000-07:00

Generic vs brand named drugs

Since long, it has been a matter of debate and discussion among healthcare providers about the merits, demerits, adoptability, therapeutic efficacy, physicians' prescribing pattern, and patients' inclination for brand named drugs and generic drugs. Various factors are resposible for governing the option for each category. Physicians and patients have got natural preference for brand-named drugs due to obvious reasons. On the other hand, in the changing scenario, a switch-over is being observed and now generic world is rapidly becoming favourite choice for all concerned. Generic drugs are making rooms into the global pharmaceutical market.

Drugs for patients
There are numerous factors which affect the choice of drugs with respect to the patients. At the point of selection of the drugs for therapeutic purpose, a patient considers these factors before taking any decision. Such factors are given under:

Cost effective drugs: It is one significant factor which is considered by most of the patients particularly when they are opting for self medication. It becomes more and more prominent when we talk about a country like India where still majority of population is categorized below poverty line. An average Indian patient finds himself unable to afford costly drugs (majority of such drug belongs to brand name drugs) and under such circumstances he prefers to remain untreated rather than continuing the treatment with costly drugs.

Ease of availability: As per an average patient a drug should be available at right time and at right place. Certain drugs are available only at big outlets located only in metro cities. Medical stores located at small towns and villages generally remain short of supply of such drugs and patients face lot of difficulty to procure such drugs.

Desired therapeutic action: Exerting desirable therapeutic effect is the most important characterstic of the drugs which a patient looks for.

Minimum side effects: A drug with minimum side effects is generally preferred by the patient for the treatment of particular disease.

Ease of administration: Though seldom, this factor also affects a patient choice for a particular drug. It is of more prominance when it comes to children and giartric patients.

Motto of pharmaceutical care: All the healthcare providers are morally bound to provide adequate pharmaceutical care to patients. Pharmacist plays crucial role in affecting a patient's choice of drug by imparting appropriate patient counseling and by dissaminating relevant drug information.

Options before patients
When it comes to the therapeutic treatment of a particular disease, a patient does have following options to go ahead with:

Prescription drugs: For opting such class of drugs a patient goes to physician for therapeutics treatment and physician prescribes certain drugs which a patient purchases from the medical store. It is most widely excercised option of the treatment of the desease all over the world.

Non prescription drugs: Generally over the counter drugs belong to this category. Such drugs are displayed over the counter in medical stores and patients purchase them without prescription by a physician.

Self medication: Patients with this option have some previous knowledge and experience about the drugs and diseases. They decide about the drug to be used in a particular desease at their own and go for purchasing them.

Generic drugs
A generic drug is a pharmaceutical product, usually intended to be interchangeable with an innovator product, which is manufactured without a license from the innovator company and marketed after the expiry date of the patent or other exclusive rights. A generic drug is a drug which is produced and distributed without patent protection. The generic drug may still have a patent on the formulation but not on the active ingredient. Generic drugs can be defined as a substitute or a bio equivalent of a branded drug satisfying the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic standards. A generic name is the actual chemical name of the drug with respect to the chemical ingredients present within the drug.

Essential criteria
● Generic drugs can be legally produced for drugs where:
● The patent has expired,
● The generic company certifies the brand company's patents are either invalid, unenforceable or will not be infringed,
● For drugs which have never held patents, or
A generic must contain the same active ingredients as the original formulation.
● According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), generic drugs are identical or bioequivalent to the brand name counterpart with respect to pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties.
● Generics are identical in dose, strength, route of administration, safety, efficacy, and intended use.

Brand named drugs
A branded drug has a trade name and does a well-established pharmaceutical company, protected by a patent, manufacture drug. It cannot be produced or sold by any other company. A drug that has a trade name and is protected by a patent (can be produced and sold only by the company holding the patent) comes under this category.

Brand named drugs are generally given patent protection for 20 years from the date of submission of the patent. This provides protection for the innovator who laid out the initial costs (including research, development, and marketing expenses) to develop the new drug. However, when the patent expires, other drug companies can introduce competitive generic versions, but only after they have been thoroughly tested by the manufacturer and approved by the FDA.

The "active" ingredients (the basic chemical composition) of a brand name drug and its generic equivalent may be same. However, there can be differences in the colour(s) used in the drug, and other similar "inactive" ingredients. It has been observed that drugs that are sold under specific brand names are usually costlier than the ones that are sold under their generic names.

Characteristic features
● Brand named drugs are found to be costlier than drugs sold under their generic names.
● A brand name will be simpler than the generic name.
● Some brand named drugs may be more easily absorbed by the body.
● Brand named drugs may cause fewer or weaker side effects.
● Drug companies spend a lot of cash on advertisements. Huge amount is invested for popularizing the drugs.

SWOT analysis
Generic drugs
Strengths
● Economical production.
● Low price of finished product.
● Therapeutically equivalent.
● Low expenditure on advertising.
● Low expenditure on research and devolopment

Weaknesses
● Difficult to remember generic names.
● Physcian as well as patient are hesitant and reluctant to prescribe and use generic drugs.
● Less popular among users and majority of the users do suffer from lack of awareness with regard to the therapeutic efficacy.

Opportunities
● A chage in prescribing habits of physicians as well as purchasing habits of customers is being observed and favourable circumstances are there for the generic drugs to make rooms in the existing pharmaceutical marketing scenario.
● The pharmaceutical industry is focussing attention on increased production of generic drugs.

Threats
● Wide spread flow of information about the features of generic drugs among all concerned is need of the hour otherwise there may not be sufficient inclination towards generic drugs.
● The fact that generic drugs are bioequvalent to brand named drugs is required to be highlighted.

Brand named drugs
Strengths:
● Heavily advertised and publicised.
● Frequently prescribed
● Highly popularised and names are easy to remember.
● Huge investment and focus on marketing aspects.
● Generated faith and trust in patients as far as therapeutic effect and quality of the drug is concerned.

Weaknesses
● Costly and expensive
● Huge investments by company on the research & development and marketing aspects.
● High competition among players.
● Patients may be in problem in case of non-availability of drug.

Opportunities
● The trust of physcians and patients can be intensified.by adopting strategies for cost reduction.
● Thearapeutic efficacy can be enhanced through research and development efforts.

Threats
● People may switch over to generic drugs considering the cost factor.
● The government may adopt negative attitude particularly the countries of third and fourth world.

Some common myths
● Generic drugs are therapeutically less effective.
● Generic drugs are of substandard and low quality.
● Physicians do not prefer to prescribe generic drugs.
● For treatment of certain diseases generic drugs are not available.
● There are very few companies which manufacture generic drugs.
● Generic drugs are not bioequivalent to brand named drugs.

Obvious reasons to opt for
There are obvious reasons to justify the use of generic drugs which are resposible for the growing popularity of these drugs. Some of such reasons are mentioned here under:
● Comparatively cheaper prices of generic drugs mainly account for their acceptance by physcians and patients when compared with the brand named drugs. The principal reasons for the relatively low price of generic medicines are:
● That competition increases among producers when drugs no longer are protected by patents.
● Companies incur fewer costs in creating the generic drug, and are therefore able to maintain profitability at a lower cost to consumers.
● Generic drug manufacturers do not incur the cost of drug discovery, and instead are able to reverse-engineer known drug compounds to allow them to manufacture bioequivalent versions.
● Generic drug manufacturers also do not bear the burden of proving the safety and efficacy of the drugs through clinical trials, since these trials have already been conducted by the brand name company.
● Generic drug companies may also receive the benefit of the previous marketing efforts of the brand named drug company, including media advertising, presentations by drug representatives, and distribution of free samples.

● Generic drugs naturally become drugs of choice when the treatment is long-term, particularly in chronic deseases. Under such circumstances, physicians or health plans adopt policies of preferentially prescribing generic drugs because the therapy involves various steps and levels.
● Generic drugs introduce competition in the market which prevents any single company from dictating the overall market price of the drug. Hence, generic drugs play an important role in governing the monopoly of brand named drugs.
● On certain occasions physicians adopt policies of preferentially prescribing generic drugs as in step therapy. The reason could be attributed to the low price of generic drugs.
● Promotion of generic drugs has become inevitable in the rapidly changing competitive global environment where survival in isolation is very difficult and generic drugs are being regarded as pacemaker for pharmaceutical industry all over the world.

Generic drugs: The govt factor
Government is one agency which can remarkably influence the production, sales promotion and acceptance of generic drugs in the pharmaceutical arena. The announcement and the implimentation of rules and regulation as well as legislations laid down by the government from time to time with regard to the drug price and its productuion are of vital significance. In a democratic country like India the role of government in controling drugs in the mentioned respects becomes even more important. If we talk from the point of view of patients having week economic backgrounds, for them, it is pleasant surprise that the Indian government is adopting a flexible approach as far as drug policies are concerned. It appears that in current times, in comparision to brand named or brand named drugs, the generic world is on an edge if we analyze the Indian pharmaceutical market scenario. Being democratic in nature, in India, the government is morally bound and committed to provide cheaper and quality drugs to the patients and to attain this objective the government is left with no other option except to promote the generic drug market. Another reason for promoting generic drug market is that in this competitive global environment, one cannot survive in isolation and we have to march past with rest of the world if we have to remain in the race.

Conclusion
It is crystal clear that dilemma still persists with regard to the use of generic drugs when it comes to physicians, pharmacists and patients. Despite of massive popularity, huge publicity and strong marketing network in case of brand named drugs, a switch over is being observed and due to certain and obvious reasons generic drugs are rapidly emerging as alternative to brand named drugs. Price seems to be the prime factor apart from other benefits of generic drugs. The edge of generic drugs over brand named drugs appears quite justified when we talk about global environment particularly for a developing nation like India where still 2/3rd of total population is categorised below poverty line. Nevertheless, the significance and relevance of brand named drugs can't be ignored.

Source: Pharmabiz(The authors VK Sharma, Pranav Sharma, Lubhan Singh, VP Yadav are with D. J. College of Pharmacy, Modinagar (U.P.). and Kamal Dua is with International Medical University, Malaysia)

2009-09-18T09:15:00.001-07:00

Finance Mininstry order issued to pay Dearness Allowance in revised rates effect from 1.7.09

No.1(6)/2009-E- (B)

Government of India

Ministry of Finance

Department of Expenditure

------

NewDelhi,Dated 18th September,2009.

Subject:- Payment of Dearness Allowance to Central Government employees - Revised Rates effective from 1.7.2009.

The undersigned is directed to refer to this Ministry's Office Memorandum No.1(6)/2009-E- (B) Dated 13th September,2009 on the subject mentioned above and to state that the President is pleased to decide that the Dearness Allowance payable to Central Government employees shall be enhanced from the existing rate of 22% to 27% with effect from 1st July, 2009.

2. The provisions contained in paras 3, 4 and 5 of this Ministry's O.M.No.1(6)/2009-E- (B) Dated 29th August,2008 shall continue to be applicable while regulating Dearness Allowance under these orders.

3. The additional installment of Dearness Allowance payable under these orders shall be paid in cash to all Central Government employees.

4. These orders shall also apply to the civilian employees paid from the Defence Services Estimates and the expenditure will be chargeable to the relevant head of the Defence Services Estimates. In regard to Armed Forces personnel and Railway employees separate orders will be issued by the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Railways, respectively.

5. In so far as the persons serving in the Indian Audit and Accounts Department are concerned, these orders issue after consultation with the Comptroller and Auditor General of India.

2009-09-17T11:44:00.001-07:00

FDA Approves Vaccines for 2009 H1N1 Influenza Virus

Approval Provides Important Tool to Fight Pandemic

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that it has approved four vaccines against the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus. The vaccines will be distributed nationally after the initial lots become available, which is expected within the next four weeks.

“Today's approval is good news for our nation's response to the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus,” said Commissioner of Food and Drugs Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D. “This vaccine will help protect individuals from serious illness and death from influenza.”

The vaccines are made by CSL Limited, MedImmune LLC, Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics Limited, and sanofi pasteur Inc. All four firms manufacture the H1N1 vaccines using the same processes, which have a long record of producing safe seasonal influenza vaccines.

”The H1N1 vaccines approved today undergo the same rigorous FDA manufacturing oversight, product quality testing and lot release procedures that apply to seasonal influenza vaccines,” said Jesse Goodman, M.D., FDA acting chief scientist.

Based on preliminary data from adults participating in multiple clinical studies, the 2009 H1N1 vaccines induce a robust immune response in most healthy adults eight to 10 days after a single dose, as occurs with the seasonal influenza vaccine.

Clinical studies under way will provide additional information about the optimal dose in children. The recommendations for dosing will be updated if indicated by findings from those studies. The findings are expected in the near future.

As with the seasonal influenza vaccines, the 2009 H1N1 vaccines are being produced in formulations that contain thimerosal, a mercury-containing preservative, and in formulations that do not contain thimerosal.

People with severe or life-threatening allergies to chicken eggs, or to any other substance in the vaccine, should not be vaccinated.

In the ongoing clinical studies, the vaccines have been well tolerated. Potential side effects of the H1N1 vaccines are expected to be similar to those of seasonal flu vaccines.

For the injected vaccine, the most common side effect is soreness at the injection site. Other side effects may include mild fever, body aches, and fatigue for a few days after the inoculation. For the nasal spray vaccine, the most common side effects include runny nose or nasal congestion for all ages, sore throats in adults, and -- in children 2 to 6 years old -- fever.

As with any medical product, unexpected or rare serious adverse events may occur. The FDA is working closely with governmental and nongovernmental organizations to enhance the capacity for adverse event monitoring, information sharing and analysis during and after the 2009 H1N1 vaccination program. In the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, these agencies include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Vaccines against three seasonal virus strains are already available and should be used. However, they do not protect against the 2009 H1N1 virus.

2009-09-16T21:57:00.000-07:00

Intravenous Promethazine and Severe Tissue Injury

[09/16/2009] FDA is requiring a Boxed Warning for promethazine hydrochloride injection, USP products to better communicate the risks of severe tissue injury associated with administration of this drug. Perivascular extravasation, unintentional intra-arterial injection and intraneuronal or perineuronal infiltration of the drug may result in irritation and tissue damage, including gangrene. The Boxed Warning will remind practitioners that due to the risks of intravenous injection, the preferred route of administration is deep intramuscular injection and that subcutaneous injection is contraindicated.

This action is based on FDA’s analysis of post-marketing reports of severe tissue injury, including gangrene, requiring amputation following intravenous administration of promethazine as well as FDA’s review of the current prescribing information for these products. FDA has determined that the presentation, organization, and content of the prescribing information should be revised to more effectively communicate the risk of severe tissue injury following intravenous administration.

In addition to the Boxed Warning, FDA is requiring a revision to the Dosage and Administration section to increase the visibility and accessibility of specific recommendations for the maximum concentration (25 mg per mL) and rate of administration (25 mg per minute) when intravenous administration of promethazine is required.

FDA is requiring the changes to the prescribing information under the authorities granted to FDA by the Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act (FDAAA) of 2007.

Promethazine hydrochloride injection, USP is approved for a variety of uses including allergic reactions, sedation, motion sickness, nausea, and vomiting associated with anesthesia and surgery, and as an adjunct to analgesics for control of postoperative pain.

This information reflects FDA’s current analysis of data available to FDA concerning this drug. FDA intends to update this sheet when additional information or analyses become available.

To report any unexpected adverse or serious events associated with the use of this drug, please contact the FDA MedWatch program using the contact information at the bottom of this sheet.

Considerations for Healthcare Professionals:

Intravenous administration of promethazine can cause severe tissue injury, including gangrene, requiring fasciotomy, skin graft, and/or amputation
Severe tissue injury can occur from perivascular extravasation, unintentional intra-arterial injection, and intraneuronal or perineuronal infiltration
Deep intramuscular injection is the preferred way to administer promethazine hydrochloride injection, USP products
Intra-arterial and subcutaneous administration of promethazine are contraindicated
Promethazine hydrochloride injection, USP is available in two strengths, 25 mg/mL and 50 mg/mL
The 50 mg/mL promethazine hydrochloride injection, USP product is for deep intramuscular injection only
The 25 mg/mL promethazine hydrochloride injection, USP product may be administered by deep intramuscular injection or intravenous injection (see maximum dosage and rate below)
If intravenous administration of promethazine is required, the maximum recommended concentration is 25 mg per mL and the maximum recommended rate of administration is 25 mg per minute through the tubing of an intravenous infusion set known to be functioning properly
Be alert for signs and symptoms of potential tissue injury including burning or pain at the site of injection, phlebitis, swelling, and blistering
Injections should be stopped immediately if a patient complains of pain during injection
Inform patients that side effects may occur immediately while receiving the injection or may develop hours to days after an injection
Refer to the prescribing information for additional information on warnings, contraindications, adverse events, and dosage and administration of promethazine hydrochloride injection, USP products
Promethazine should not be used in patients less than 2 years of age due to the risk of fatal respiratory depression

Information for Patients:

Discuss any concerns you may have about the risks and benefits of promethazine with a health care professional

Pay close attention for any signs or symptoms of adverse events including burning or pain at the injection site, redness, swelling, and blistering, and report these symptoms immediately

Understand that side effects may occur immediately while receiving a promethazine injection or may develop hours to days after an injection

Background and Data Summary:
Promethazine was previously sold under the brand name Phenergan Injection but this formulation has been discontinued by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Currently multiple generic formulations of promethazine hydrochloride injection, USP are marketed in the United States.

FDA has been aware of the risks of perivascular extravasation and inadvertent intra-arterial administration causing severe tissue injury that are associated with intravenous administration of promethazine, and communicated these risks to healthcare professionals and consumers in the December 2006 and February 2008 FDA Patient Safety News (see links to previous communications below). Furthermore, the current prescribing information for promethazine hydrochloride injection, USP products contains information regarding the risk of intra-arterial injection and severe tissue injury, including gangrene. Despite the previous safety communications and the current prescribing information, cases of severe tissue injury following intravenous administration of promethazine continue to be reported to FDA.

FDA reviewed the published literature and post-marketing adverse event reports submitted to FDA’s Adverse Event Reporting System (AERS) from 1969 to 2009 and identified cases of gangrene requiring amputation associated with intravenous administration of promethazine. The most common amputations involved the fingers and hands. Numerous other cases of injection reactions such as injection site pain, redness, phlebitis, cyanosis, swelling, blistering, necrosis, and nerve damage were also found.

Additionally, FDA’s review of the current prescribing information for these products found that the warnings for gangrene and intra-arterial injection were present, but their organization and presentation in the labeling could be improved to better convey the risk information. Therefore, based on the above case reports and conclusions from the prescribing information review, FDA is requiring manufacturers of these products to revise the labeling for promethazine, including addition of a Boxed Warning describing the risk of severe tissue injury, including gangrene, requiring amputation following intravenous administration of promethazine.

2009-09-13T05:20:00.001-07:00

Promising evidence for one-dose H1N1 vaccination schedule

NEJM studies offer encouraging news from vaccine supply and logistical standpoints; CDC may move to a single dose, although no definite protocol change has been issued by the agency.

Two studies describing preliminary data on the immunogenicity of the 2009 H1N1 influenza monovalent vaccine recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine provide promising evidence of the effectiveness of a one-dose H1N1 vaccination schedule. Additionally, CDC indicated late on September 11 that it may move to a single-dose schedule, although no definite evidence existed at that time that the current two-dose vaccination protocol currently in place in the United States would change. (The September 11 briefing can be viewed at Flu.gov.) Considerable advantages would be gained from vaccine supply and logistical standpoints if a one-dose schedule is able to offer adequate protection from H1N1 virus without requiring patients to return 3 to 4 weeks later for a second dose.

In one of the NEJM studies, which was conducted in Australia, Greenberg et al. reported that a single dose of nonadjuvanted vaccine containing hemagglutinin (HA) 15 mcg antigen is immunogenic in a high percentage of healthy young and middle-aged adults. However, as described by Neuzil in her editorial released early by the journal, “Without a nonimmunized control group, it is impossible to determine whether subclinical infection may have boosted the immune response elicited by the vaccine.”
The other study, by Clark et al., reported that robust antibody titers were elicited by one or two doses of an adjuvanted influenza vaccine containing 7.5 mcg HA (50% of the standard dose) administered on various schedules. Two doses (15 mcg HA total) produced higher antibody levels than one dose; however, the seroprotective titer was reached in at least 80% of patients in each group. Neuzil noted that because the study lacked a nonadjuvanted control group, “It is impossible to determine the contribution of the adjuvant to these responses.”

According to Neuzil, with the 2009 H1N1 virus currently circulating widely in many areas of the world, “Achieving protection 3 to 4 weeks earlier with one dose, rather than later on a two-dose schedule, is advantageous. From a logistic standpoint, administering one dose will greatly simplify vaccination programs and should reduce costs.”

The immunogenicity of live-attenuated H1N1 vaccines and additional inactivated vaccines—in various populations and schedules and in combination with seasonal influenza vaccines—is currently being investigated. Stay tuned to APhA’s Pharmacist Immunization Center for the latest developments.

2009-09-11T06:03:00.001-07:00

‘Have we understood the importance of healthcare system in India?’

Pharmacy education in India was an ignorant sector till now, but has gradually scaled up to match international standards. However, there are still many loopholes that exist. Sashikant Joag, General Secretary, Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA) discusses the problems of pharmacists and pharmacy trends.

What are the problems faced by pharmacists in India?

There are more than 800 pharmacy colleges in India and there are many more still coming up. Even if we consider 50-60 students graduating every year from each college, imagine the number every year. Will these students get the right job? Are there enough employment opportunities? Will they get salary as compared to other graduates? These are few key questions. The industry is growing, the pharma sector is growing, but the need of pharmacists is decreasing because of automation. Pharmaceutical engineering is becoming more popular and industry will generally prefer engineers over pharmacists sooner or the later. What can be done of these pharmacists? The best way to tackle this issue is to get these pharmacists in to healthcare. Especially at a time when there is a high requirement of pharmacists in the rural area. So it will be apt to utilise the human capital where there is availability and requirement. What can be done is that pharmacists should be reprocessed and allowed to prescribe medicines. The best way to explain this is when there is a natural calamity—floods or other disasters, doctors can just prescribe the medicines, and pharmacists will take it further by guiding the patients on dosage management. The pharmacist could also be a service provider in the disease management especially in TB, AIDS, diabetes etc where you have regular monitoring and more so in family planning programmes.

How advanced in pharmacy education in India?

When pharmacy education came to India, we did not have proper standards, GMP practices etc in India. So the need of the hour was to have an industrial pharmacy in India and hence our focus. We have recently introduced the Pharm D course in India which will start from this year in some colleges in India and it is equivalent to Pharm D course of US. Through this course students can practice pharmacy in India. When pharmacy education came to India in 1935, we did not have proper drug standards, GMP, etc in India. Now the situation has changed and there is a need to change our focus and it should be the healthcare of our society. Pharm D could be one step in this direction.

How has pharmacy as a profession progressed in India?

Pharmacy as a profession has picked up pace in India and the same is evident from the number of pharmacy colleges that have come up and are still coming up in India. Besides this the world is looking at India for its cost effectiveness and pharmacy graduates from India. The US pharmacopoeia and EDQM has shown their willingness to join hands with India. There are on going talks on harmonising pharmacy standards globally. ICH, which is presently working on this project. The member countries have laid down good guidelines on various subjects. The change is gradually seen in India as it has also become quite proactive now. Besides this USP, which deals with pharma standards has set up an office in India (Hyderabad). USP has formed a stake holder forum and IPA is a member of the same. The forum conducts regular training programmes and meetings. Besides IPA also has a representation on the Drug Technical Advisory Board (DTAB).

What have been the trends in the Indian pharmacy industry and how are they different from US and EU?

Generally, pharmacists in other countries like US or Europe are considered as a part of healthcare system and not as a pharmacist for the industry. His focus remains as a healthcare provider counselling people on various health issues. In these countries he is not primarily taken as an industrial pharmacist or as an R&D scientist, so that's the major difference. Now the focus has changed because the need for pharmacists has been understood by us and by the government.

To take this a step further we regularly organise programmes. Last year IPA conducted TB Fact Card Project successfully jointly with CPA and IPSF. Similarly, IPA CPD is also going to have a nation-wide programme of accreditation of pharmacies, as the pharmacies in our country are not ideal ones and they have not come up to that mark and standards as that of US or EU. However, there are certain pharmacies like Apollo and Medicine Shoppe which are good ones. They are very well organised. For others to scale up to that standard, accreditation is a must and there are certain norms to be followed for doing the same. In India at present there is no such accreditation agency for pharmacy accreditation. As one step ahead IPA would wish to shoulder this responsibility.

IPA is doing the same by hosting training programmes and spreading awareness amongst the pharmacies and pharmacists. They are further inspected, evaluated and then accredited. Compared to India, a pharmacist is US enjoys a much better social position, because the pay scale is high. However, in India a pharmacist must be earning roughly around Rs 4,000 to 5,000 maximum, which for him is just a source of income.

Now as we have a diploma in pharmacy and a post graduation in pharmacy and are also starting up with Pharm D course, a person can become a registered pharmacist, but the limitation in that is there will be no further promotion and increase in the salary, it gives stagnancy and no future. So for them it still remains a source of income rather than a satisfactory job.

How can this problem be solved?

We observe national pharmacy week, through which we spread awareness about the pharmacists. We make people aware of the existence of pharmacists and to take their help. This is done through free medical camps, blood donation camps and street plays etc. We conduct programmes on good pharmacy practices all over India and train pharmacists.

Besides revision in the salary structure, what other problems do pharmacists face?

Low pay scale is only in the healthcare system. If you go to the industry the pay scale is high and also comparable to the US, nowadays. The Pharmacy graduates generally do not accept job in pharmacy and the registered pharmacists in pharmacy are mostly having diploma in pharmacy. The irony is that over the years distribution of drugs is in the hands of traders and not in the hands of pharmacists. We have to change this situation either through law or education.

So why is the gap?

The gap is because we have not understood the importance of healthcare system in India. It is a failure from the government. And they are hardly doing anything for that. Most of the programmes that take place, a pharmacist is not even given the due consideration like doctors, engineers, architects. These people are always on the higher class, where a pharmacist may or may not be there. Besides, there are a lot of challenges which we have to build in to opportunities. Also because of the economic slowdown there is going to be a lot of brain drain.

Are there any guidelines that pharmacists in India have to follow?

In India there were no guidelines to be followed by the pharmacists. But IPA has come out with guidelines on good pharmacy practices with the help of WHO and Drugs Controller General India (DCGI) office. It is part of our objective being a professional issue.

What are the loopholes in Indian pharmacy?

Indian pharmaceutical industry is now considered as developed and not a developing sector. But if you see most of the new concepts and regulatory developments are coming either from US, Europe or Japan. We are just following them. The standards of drugs and formulations at global level are drawn by USP or British pharmacopoeia (BP) and Indian pharmacopoeia has yet to find place on world map.

What are you future plans?

IPA is coming up with its own building within the premises of Bombay College of Pharmacy, which will be operational by 2010. We have many plans in mind but it would be premature to talk about them at this juncture. Please wait and watch. However, we will continue to have education programmes. We also have plans of bringing FIP to India. And if this works out then you will see international pharmaceutical congress in India. The only hurdle is that we don't have a good convention centre of international standard yet.

Source: Express Pharma

2009-09-10T05:25:00.001-07:00

5% DA To Central Govt. Employees

The central government on Thursday announced a five per cent hike in dearness allowance for its employees and pensioners, with retrospective effect from July 1.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the union cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni told reporters in New Delhi after the meeting.

Dearness allowance will now be 27.77 per cent of the basic pay of government officials and pensioners.

The hike will cost the government Rs 2,903.55 crore in 2009-10 and Rs 4, 355.35 crore per year in subsequent years, Soni said.

2009-09-08T09:05:00.000-07:00

Guest Book of Pharmacists Employees Association

Dear friends,
We were feeling the lack of interaction between us. Therefore we have launched the guest book of PEA.

So come and share here your thought/suggestions.

All are most welcome.

So visit our Guest Book at http://pharmacists-association.medlineindia.com/guest%20book.html

2009-09-02T11:34:00.001-07:00

H1N1 VACCINE FIRST FOR HEALTH WORKERS

After international pharmaceutical companies announced they are ready to roll out the H1N1 vaccine, the Health Ministry has written to them saying they can conduct “limited drug trials” in the country so that their vaccines can be evaluated for the Indian population.
Letters went out to Aventis-Sanofi, Glaxo SmithKline (GSK) and Baxter. GSK has agreed to conduct the trials provided the government gives it some “guarantee of purchase.”

These companies are said to be ready to launch their vaccines between December and February while Indian companies have a March deadline. ‘Talks are on with the companies and we are working out how many units of vaccines we are likely to need,” said V M Katoch, DG ICMR and Secretary, Health Research. “We have identified eight testing sites where the trials (for both international and domestic companies) are likely to happen,” he said. “We will surely give the companies a purchase guarantee,” Katoch said.

If the trials are successful, sources said, the plan is to order the vaccines first for health workers directly exposed to the virus and wait for development of the indigenous vaccine for the general public.

“There have been negative experiences associated with vaccines in the past. Although the vaccines have been found to be safe abroad, the Indian population can react differently. We don’t give influenza vaccines here, our immunity levels are different,” said Katoch.

There was no tearing hurry, he said. “We have been able to keep the death rates really low by giving Tamiflu, so we can wait a little more.”

In India, the Serum Institute, Panacea India and Bharat Pharmaceuticals are working on the vaccine. “They have made a lot of headway,” said S K Srivastava, Director-General, Health Services.

Homeopathic medicine

A meeting of experts called by the Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy to suggest ways and means of prevention of flu has inter alia recommended that homoeopathy medicine Arsenicum album be taken as prophylactic medicine. It has recommended one dose of Arsenicum album 30 daily, on empty stomach, for three days. The dose should be repeated the same way after a month if flu-like conditions prevail.

2009-09-02T11:30:00.000-07:00

Deduction of tax at source from payments of second installment of arrears - Reg.

F.No.275/192/2008-IT(B)

Government of India

Ministry of Finance

Department of Revenue

*****

NewDelhi,Dated 31th August,2009.

Subject:- Clarification regarding deduction of tax at source from payments of second installment of arrears to Government employees on account of implementation of Sixth Central Pay Commission’s recommendations matter regarding.

Under the provisions of Section 192 of the Income-tax Act, an employer is required to deduct tax at source from any payments in the nature of salary, which inter alia also includes any arrear payments. The Implementation Cell of the Department of Expenditure, Govt of India, vide its Office Order dated 30th Aug’08 had stated that 40% of the aggregate arrear (first installment of arrears) would be payable during FY 2008-09. In Circular No. 09/2008 dated 29th Sept.2008 issued from this office it was stated that during 2008-09 the tax has to be deducted at source on this 40% of aggregate arrear during FY 2008-09The OM,F.No-1//1/2008-IC, of the Implementation Cell of the Department of Expenditure, Govt of India, vide its order dated 25th August,2009 has stated that the remaining 60% of the aggregate arrear (second installment of arrears) would be paid to the concerned Government servants during FY 2009-10. Such arrangements could be followed by State Governments also.

In this regard, all the DDOs and PAOs as the case may be, in the Central/State Government and various organizations under them are advised to compute the correct tax liability of every employee on second installment of arrears drawn by him and immediately recover the full tax liability along with education cess thereon at the rates in force. The deduction of tax at source on such arrear payment should not be deferred in any circumstance. They should further ensure that the tax so recovered is paid to the account of Central Government account immediately as per the Income Tax Rules, 1962. The DDOs/PAOs are further advised that they should ensure that the PAN details of the deductees (recipient of arrears) are correctly quoted in the relevant quarterly e-TDS returns filed by them so that the Government Servants get propercredit of their tax deducted in their respective income tax returns.

DDOs/PAOs who fail to comply with the provisions of Section 192 of the Income-tax Act, 1961 would be liable to pay interest under section 201(1)/(1A) of Income Tax Act along with other penal consequences.