Pharmacists fume over neglect of Pharm D graduates as Clinical/Community Pharmacist in India*
Pharm D courses were introduced to create a special cadre of clinical pharmacists to record adverse drug reaction.Pharmacists were unhappy with the Pharmacy Council of India stating that the Central and state governments must amend rules to recruit pharmacists, without specifying that a separate post had to be created for clinical pharmacists in hospitals. The Doctor of Pharmacy Association (DPA), which includes Pharm D graduates, said this was the same reply they got in 2015. DPA national president Dr Sai Kumar Katam said, “Pharm D courses were introduced to create a special cadre of clinical pharmacists to record adverse drug reaction, advise on drug dosage to patients on prescription from doctors and also carry out other works like immunisation in all hospitals with JCI/NABH/ISO accrediatation and as a Community Pharmacist in the Community healthcare centres.
There is a reason for creating these specialists.“But instead of recognising and placing them in the right sector, they are merely stating that they must be placed as pharmacists in Clinical Pharmacy. There are already B Pharm and M Pharm graduates working in the sector. But it must be understood that these two courses are not equivalent to Pharm D which is a grade higher.”
Pharm D graduates could work along with Physicians,Surgeons and Nurses along with other medical professionals, during bedside practice and be of great help in monitoring various drugs advised to patients and update the knowledge of entire medical team. Presently, the complete system depended on Physicians for the diagnosis, drug delivery and also observes & reports drug reaction. A Pharm D specialist can monitor drug delivery, dosage and drug reaction reducing the work of Physicians. Hence the course was not merely to dispense medicines but to also follow up, they said.
Senior pharmacist Dr Sanjay Reddy said, “It is high time the government gave due recognition to pharmacists as Clinical pharmacist in clinical pharmacy, Pharmacovigilancer, Community pharmacist in Community health centers, Industrial Pharmacist in Manufacturing companies, Researcher/ Pharma-Scientist, Clinical Preceptor in Pharmacy colleges and Dispensing pharmacist by involving them actively in the healthcare system. Health is a state subject and for that reason the policies of the Central governments have to be implemented by states and review the same routinely. The PCI has to actively follow not only with the Centre but also states.”
The issues of Clinical pharmacists now took centrestage again as PharmD students passing out of colleges did not get jobs and lack of proper salary scheme similar to other medical professionals, which was leading to frustration, and forcing them to opt for change in their profession which is taking advantage by MNC,. TS health minister Dr Laxma Reddy had been approached nearly four times in the last two months as Pharm D students were getting agitated over the government failure to make them part of the healthcare system
