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Since pharmacists are drug experts, a legislation is inevitable to ensure that prescriptions written by physicians should be reviewed by pharmacists in order to minimize errors and irrational use of the drugs, according to Dr. Shyam Muthaiah Panga, professor and principal at Dr. NJ Paulbudhe College of Pharmacy in Ahmednagar in Maharashtra.
Similarly, a policy is required on the part of the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) to strengthen the pharmacy education by offering specialization at the undergraduate level, mainly in pharmaceutics, pharmacology and pharmaceutical chemistry, to create professionals with focused expertise.
Along with, a collaborative approach is required in the healthcare sector where physicians and pharmacists should work together. This partnership will ensure better healthcare outcomes for patients, he opined.
In a message given to the pharmacy professionals in the country on the importance of the celebration of World Pharmacist Day, Dr. Panga said the pharmacy profession in India has dual responsibilities, one is to manufacture medicines and the other one is to dispense them to patients. While the industry side has achieved great success, the clinical side still lags behind. So, legislation is necessary to ensure the role of pharmacists in the use of medicines by patients everywhere, he said. According to him, the pharmacists must review the prescriptions written by a doctor.
Justifying his stance, the professor said pharmacists work tirelessly to improve the quality of medicines by minimizing side effects and adverse reactions. They have the knowledge and ability to create medications by converting molecules through design and development processes. Finally, they determine the accurate dosage forms and expiration date of the drugs through rigorous testing. All these clarify one fact that pharmacists are the true guardians of medications.
According to him, the Indian pharmacists have become role models of the pharmacy community of the world as they have migrated to countries like the USA, UK, Australia, Singapore and UAE and serve as registered pharmacists by elevating India’s reputation on the global stage. Thus, the Indian pharmacy profession has made its mark around the world.
He said the physicians lack knowledge about the intricacies of medication manufacturing, but they know in detail about the human body and performance of surgeries. Pharmacists are experts in creating and dispensing medications but lack surgical training. The distinction between pharmacists and physicians is a complex issue. However, both the professions have unique roles in healthcare. He said, very often the physicians are reluctant to acknowledge pharmacists’ contributions in developing and producing medicines.
As advice to the pharmacist community, Dr Panga said every pharmacist must understand their rights, roles and responsibilities in their services as service of a pharmacist is service to humanity.
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