There are registered pharmacists in the capital and elsewhere who put up their practising certificates for ‘hire' for a monthly payment. Of the 67,000 registered pharmacists in the State, an estimated 10,000 are ‘fake' pharmacists.
The 10,000 fake pharmacists consist of those who have died, and yet are registered with somebody unqualified practising pharmacy on their names or have had submitted fake certificates to get registered with Andhra Pradesh Pharmacy Council (APPC).
The startling details were given by president of APPC Vijay R Annapareddy during a media interaction on Sunday. The APPC president said the pharmacy council, which according to him was inactive in the past, was trying to weed out fake pharmacists and ensure presence of registered pharmacist at the drug stores.
“There is no co-ordination between the pharmacy council, federation of drug traders association, district level office bearers of chemists and druggists associations and drug control administration. We can safely say that 90 per cent of drug stores are being run by unqualified persons, who tend to use certificates of registered pharmacists,” APPC president said.
Notices served
The pharmacy council had recently served notices on 700 drug stores in Hyderabad and elsewhere for having no qualified pharmacist. An additional 1,200 notices were serviced to drug stores who have ‘hired' practising certificates from qualified pharmacists.
“Provisions under the Pharmacy Act of 1948 provide the required powers to the pharmacy council for such actions. Persons who have qualified or passed pharmacy exam have to register with the pharmacy council to be able to practice. Pharmacy council has the right to regulate the pharmacists,” he said.
The pharmacy council chief said that in future regular co-ordination meetings with different agencies would be held to improve the situation at the drug stores. “Drug store owners must realise that in addition to giving the right medicine, a pharmacist has to play the role of a counsellor and provide reliable information on the way the medicine has to be taken and its reactions,” he said.
