In an attempt to improve the quality of service by the pharmacy stores in the state, the Kerala government has decided to issue licences to run pharmacy stores only to qualified pharmacists. At present, any one can obtain a pharmacy license on the condition that the pharmacy store should employ one qualified pharmacist in the shops.
The government decision will come into effect immediately. Under the new system, only qualified pharmacists can apply for running new pharmacy shops in the state. However, the existing pharmacy shops will not be affected by the new system.
State drug controller (in-charge) MP George said that the government has taken a decision in this regard recently. "The state government is seized of the issue of running pharmacy shops without qualified pharmacists. Now, the government at least wanted to ensure that the new pharmacy shops are run properly by the pharmacists only".
The government's efforts in this regard come in the wake of widespread reports that the pharma traders are making mockery of the existing system as most of the time there are no full time pharmacists in the pharmacy shops in the state. As per the existing law, anybody can get a pharmacy license on the condition of employing a qualified pharmacist in the shop.
But, the state drug department has found that most of the time, pharmacists are not present in the pharmacy shops as they are working somewhere else. This has resulted in a situation where the pharmacy shops are run by non-professionals. Just to fulfil the law criterion, the traders rope in some pharmacists on some fixed payment. There are reports that in several cases, the pharmacists come to the pharmacy shops once in a month to collect the monthly fees.
Apart from this, the state government will also intensify inspection of the existing pharmacies in the state to ensure that the pharmacy shops are manned by professional pharmacists only. As per law, drug inspectors have to inspect the pharmacy shops at least twice a year. But, this practice has become a farce as most of the inspectors are hand in glove with the traders
