Pharmacist Registration:
The Pharmacy Act 1948 regulates the Pharmacist registration and licencing in India. And prescribes the qualification one needs to have to be appointed as a Pharmacist in India. The regulations as to Pharmacy Council of India is enforced at Central Level but the State Council and appointment of Pharmacist in every state is regulated by State Level Bodies.
Therefore, a Pharmacist needs to register for a particular State. And you can be Pharmacist only in one state therefore, if you already registered in one state then you need to migrate the Pharmacist Registration from one state to another. Generally the format of the form to apply for the licence is http://punjabmedicaleducation.
Further, either Pharmacist on the basis on Diploma or Bachelors degree is equally good a long as one can satisfy the documents as provided upon the link here. And on the basis of residence or place of business in a particular state, you are eligible to apply for the Pharmacist licence over there. Relevant section from the Pharmacy Act is as follows:
Section 31. Qualifications for entry on first register:-
1. A person who has attained the age of eighteen years shall be entitled on payment of the prescribed fee to have his name entered in the first register if he resides or carries on the business or profession of pharmacy, in the State and if he (a) holds a degree or diploma in pharmacy or pharmaceutical chemistry or a chemist and druggist diploma of an Indian University or a State Government as the case may be or a prescribed qualification granted by an authority outside India, OR
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Online Pharmacy
There are no specific provisions as to online regulations for Pharmacies. That is the reasons, some online pharmacies like 1mg.com are quite famous. But they are operating as to prescribed drugs only in specified states, maybe where they have a qualified Pharmacist appointed by them.
Further, there have no history of any legal cases against Online Pharmacies as such in India, except that in 2007, a Kolkata based online pharmacy was booked under criminal offence for selling some banned substance in USA, though it’s India based Network. Because US government has been active since over a decade for any sale of illegal drugs in their country online from any country outside of US.
And in 2014, there were news against regulating online Pharmacies. Therefore, a caution approach will be required when dealing in the Schedule H and X drugs: http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/state-to-crack-down-on-online-pharmacies/article4663917.ece.
The main points to be pondered for prescribed medicines are:
1. Substances specified in Schedule H or X should not be sold without a prescription from a registered medical practitioner.
2. In case of substances specified in Schedule X the retailer should preserve the copy of the prescription for two years.
3 Drugs specified in Schedule H/X can be supplied to registered medical practitioners or hospitals only against a written order, which should be preserved for 2 years.
4. A person dispensing a prescription containing a Schedule H drug should not do so more that once unless the doctor has stated so.
5. The name and address of the seller and the date on which the prescription was dispensed should be mentioned.
6. No other preparation containing the same substance should be supplied in lieu of the drug specified on the prescription.
There can be three categories of products broadly, medicines to be sold only against prescription, over the counter (OTC) and other health products. For dealing in any kind of prescribed medicines and delivering in any state, you need to have a qualified pharmacist in that particular state. For example to deliver prescribed medicine in that particular state, the local Pharmacist in that particular state should deliver the Medicines.
Though, India still does not have any separate definition of OTC (Over The Counter) medicines, till it is defined, those should also not be sold in any other state, where Pharmacist hasn’t been appointed. Please refer to Sept 2017 news here: https://economictimes.
The State Pharmacy Council maintains the register of registered Pharmacist within the State but once a year complete record are sent to Central Council of Pharmacy for centralized record (http://www.pci.nic.in). There is provision to get the additional qualification like MBA, Bachelors or Diploma also registered with the State Council in a separate form ‘H’. The rules and forms have been laid down under New Pharmacy Rules, 1951.
In January 2015, the Pharmacy Council of India has published the new Pharmacy Practice Regulations 2015 to regulate pharmacy practice in India, which includes important provisions such as :
1. Drugs can be dispensed only by a qualified registered pharmacist.
2. Registered pharmacists shall not give his registration certificate at more than one pharmacy and should not allow the owner of the pharmacy to use his registration certificate without attending the pharmacy.
3. Registered pharmacist shall also comply with a dress code by wearing white coat and apron with a badge displaying the name and registration number.
4. Every registered pharmacist shall dispense only those medicines as prescribed by the Registered Medical Practitioner and shall not substitute the prescription.
5. Every registered pharmacist shall maintain the medical or prescription records pertaining to the patients for a period of 5 years from the date of commencement of the treatment as per regulations.
6. Pharmacists should promote the rational use of drugs.
7. Other guidelines regarding ethical conduct of pharmacists.
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