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Higher Education, Skill Development and Research Center (HESDARC) in Mysuru has objected to the inclusion of Indian Systems of Medicine (ISM) and Homoeopathy in the National Pharmacy Commission (NPC) Bill, 2026 stating that both systems should continue to be governed under their respective statutory frameworks.
The committee said incorporating them under a common policy framework could create regulatory overlaps and dilute the distinct legal and professional mandates established for each system, and recommended that their separate statutory status be retained.
Dr BG Nagavi, founder, HESDARC, Mysuru pointed out that even in the governance & representation, the current structure leaves out practicing pharmacists and academia. On the boards & regulatory setup, instead of an ISM/Homoeopathy board, HESDARC recommends a community, hospital & clinical pharmacy board. Besides the State Pharmacy Commissions, the restructuring is premature and legally unclear without qualification equivalence.
“Pharmacy has its own identity and must stand on its own. Combining it with ISM and Homoeopathy risks confusion and weakens professional standards. Now the Bill aims to replace the Pharmacy Act of 1948 with a modern framework for pharmacy regulation. While the intent is forward looking, the HESDARC team voices strong concerns about provisions that mix modern pharmacy with Indian Systems of Medicine (ISM) and Homoeopathy,” Dr Nagavi, told Pharmabiz.
To this end, the recommendations proposed are that to keep NPC 2026 focused on modern pharmacy only. There is an imminent need to define competency based outcomes for Diploma, Degree, and Pharm.D programs. Also, the Good Pharmacy Practices and structured Continuing Professional Development (CPD), needed to be introduced, he added.
Further, HESDARC has called for a more clearly defined policy direction in Version 2 of the proposed draft NPC 2026 Bill, stating that the revised draft should provide stronger guidance on implementation, institutional responsibilities, and long-term resilience objectives.
Its senior advisors from across the country said greater clarity would help ensure consistent application of the policy across the higher education sector while strengthening the country's overall climate adaptation and disaster resilience efforts.
What we have noticed is that the NPC 2026 Bill’s definitions need to be broader, covering clinical pharmacy, community pharmacy, and pharmacovigilance. Its representation should expand to include professional associations like IPA (Indian Pharmaceutical Association, APTI (Association of Pharmacy Teachers of India), and IDMA (Indian Drug Manufacturers’ Association), he said.
Even the diploma and degree boards should be kept separate. Exit exams should apply only to new registrants, while existing pharmacists renew through Continuing Pharmacy Education (CPE). The qualifications should align with NEP (New Education Policy) 2020 and credit based learning.
There is also the need to differentiate registration titles like Assistant Pharmacist (D Pharm), Graduate Pharmacist (B Pharm), Clinical Pharmacist (Pharm.D/PG). Another point is that it is important to encourage younger leadership by capping board member age at 65 extendable to 70 years. The policy should build transparency and accountability into the policymaking process to strengthen public trust and ensure effective implementation. “Our suggestions are not about slowing progress, but it is about making sure pharmacy in India grows stronger, clearer, and aligned with global best practices, said Dr Nagavi.
Therefore, HESDARC highlights the importance of maintaining pharmacy’s distinct identity while modernizing education and practice. We call on policymakers to ensure clarity, autonomy, and professional integrity as India moves toward a new era in pharmacy regulation, said Dr Nagavi.
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