PCI to integrate pharmacists' database with Healthcare Professional Registry |
| Gireesh Babu, New Delhi Saturday, November 23, 2024, 08:00 Hrs [IST] |
Pharmacists are HealthCare Professionals. Lets be worth it. Really!!!, then why the term ' PharmaCare ' was coined. Pharmacist A HealthCare professional? If so why pharmacy course is not?. Has the Pharmacy education been got included in National Health Education Manual? 
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Monday, 11 August 2025
PCI to integrate pharmacists' database with Healthcare Professional Registry
The Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) has sought all the pharmacists who don't have the ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account) number to attain a number and ensure registration with the DIGI-PHARMed profile with the ABHA number on immediate basis, as part of its efforts to integrate the pharmacists' list with the Healthcare Professional Registry (HPR).
So many regulatory bodies and governing bodies in pharmacy education: whims of my mind
PCI(Pharmacy Council Of India) and AICTE(All India Council for technical education) are the governing bodies in the pharmacy education , keeping in mind the compounding and dispensing as well as the technical aspects involved in Pharmaceutical Engineering .
Now with the advent of Pharm D course in pharmacy, which is clinically oriented 6 years course in pharmacy and the syllabus is designed such as first 3 years are same as B.Pharm ( compounding and dispensing oriented) and next 2 years are same as MD Pharmacology (medically and clinically oriented) and 1 year of internship in an attached (minimum- 300 beded) hospital , one may expect MCI (medical council of India) to get into the thick of the things/matters.
As it requires an affiliation with a hospital( minimum 300 beded), to get approval for an pharmaceutical institute from PCI to conduct the course , one must expect MCI(medical council of India)(Now NMC) also to get involved as a regulatory and governing body.
PCI governs courses like : D.Pharm
B.Pharm
Pharm D and Pharm D(PB)
AICTE governs courses like : B.Pharm( jointly with PCI)
M.Pharm
Now one must expect AICTE,PCI and MCI may jointly govern : Pharm D and Pharm D(PB)
But no, its not a rational thinking on my part. MCI (Now NMC ) will get involve only when the course is a medical one or may be when the professional doctor is dealing with a body part.
So, its fair enough that MCI(NMC) is not involved into these matters.(Really?!!!)
Now with the advent of Pharm D course in pharmacy, which is clinically oriented 6 years course in pharmacy and the syllabus is designed such as first 3 years are same as B.Pharm ( compounding and dispensing oriented) and next 2 years are same as MD Pharmacology (medically and clinically oriented) and 1 year of internship in an attached (minimum- 300 beded) hospital , one may expect MCI (medical council of India) to get into the thick of the things/matters.
As it requires an affiliation with a hospital( minimum 300 beded), to get approval for an pharmaceutical institute from PCI to conduct the course , one must expect MCI(medical council of India)(Now NMC) also to get involved as a regulatory and governing body.
PCI governs courses like : D.Pharm
B.Pharm
Pharm D and Pharm D(PB)
AICTE governs courses like : B.Pharm( jointly with PCI)
M.Pharm
Now one must expect AICTE,PCI and MCI may jointly govern : Pharm D and Pharm D(PB)
But no, its not a rational thinking on my part. MCI (Now NMC ) will get involve only when the course is a medical one or may be when the professional doctor is dealing with a body part.
So, its fair enough that MCI(NMC) is not involved into these matters.(Really?!!!)
Saturday, 9 August 2025
Is Pharm D and Pharm D(PB) course is approved by UGC?
University Grants Commission (UGC) is a statutory body under Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Government of India. It was set up in accordance to the UGC Act 1956 and is charged with coordination, determination and maintenance of standards of higher education in India. It provides recognition to universities in India, and disbursements of funds to such recognized universities and colleges. The UGC headquarters are in New Delhi, and it has six regional centres in Pune, Bhopal, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Guwahati and Bengaluru. A proposal to replace it with another new regulatory body called HECI is under consideration by the Government of India. The UGC provides doctoral scholarships to all those who clear JRF in the National Eligibility Test. On an average, each year ₹725 crore (US$86 million) is spent on doctoral and post-doctoral fellowships by the commission.
Monday, 4 August 2025
Pharmacists are Healthcare Professionals or Pharmacare Professionals?
Pharmacists are HealthCare Professionals.
Lets be worth it.
Really!!!, then why the term ' PharmaCare ' was coined.
Pharmacist A HealthCare professional? If so why pharmacy course is not?. Has the Pharmacy education been got included in National Health Education Manual?
Someone kindled me to define and explain who is Healthcare professional? Where does the Pharmacist fit in?
Healthcare Professional.
Someone kindled me to define and explain who is Healthcare professional? Where does the Pharmacist fit in?
Not an easy question in light of Second question.
Any professional who serves the humans to safeguard his / her health and serves to mitigate the suffering and assists and supports the patient to be as comfortable as possible and treats him directly and fecilitates treatment could be called healthcare professional or Health Worker. All put together could be called a Medical Team
[This is my own extempore definition, I am subject to correction]
Now coming to second question,
Where does the Pharmacist fit in to be called Healthcare professional?
Excluding Pharm D Pharmacists, considering prevailing scenario and practice in India the Pharmacist looks like a supporter external to the Treatment team only to dispense what is advised.
Unless the Pharmacists update themselves or Course content is updated to familiarise the students on healthcare practices in preventive and curative services Pharmacists of India may not gain the Healthcare Professional tag.
#PCI, #IPA, #APTI,
POV :Bhagwan PS
Pharmacists are HealthCare Professionals.
Lets be worth it.
Really!!!, then why the term ' PharmaCare ' was coined.
Pharmacist A HealthCare professional? If so why pharmacy course is not?. Has the Pharmacy education been got included in National Health Education Manual?
Sunday, 3 August 2025
Q-commerce is here to stay, retailers must upgrade themselves’, says CEO of Retailers Association of India
Q-commerce is here to stay, retailers must upgrade themselves’, says CEO of Retailers Association of India
On September 26, Madras High Court lawyer K Narasimhan alleged in his complaint to the DPIIT that e-commerce platform Flipkart is offering discounts at product level for select sellers and creating a non-competitive environment.
By IMRAN FAZAL| Sep 27, 2024 8:44 AM
‘Q-commerce is here to stay, retailers must upgrade themselves’, says CEO of Retailers Association of India
The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has referred a complaint against quick commerce companies to the CCI for further investigation.
Multiple retail trade associations and federations have written to the Indian government, expressing concerns that the growth of Q-commerce platforms is hurting their retail businesses. The Retailers Association of India (RAI) believes that instead of complaining about the rise of Q-commerce and e-commerce platforms, retailers should focus on upgrading themselves.
It's worth noting that several FMCG companies have reported strong double-digit growth in online sales through quick-commerce. According to a RedSeer report, the Q-commerce market is expected to reach $5.5 billion by 2025. The contribution of quick-commerce platforms to the online grocery market is projected to increase from 10% to 45% in the coming years. In 2023, the gross merchandise value (GMV) of quick commerce in India reached $2.3 billion, showing a growth of over 70% compared to the previous year.
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‘Q-commerce is here to stay, retailers must upgrade themselves’, says CEO of Retailers Association of India
On the sidelines of the Retail Technology Conclave, ReTechCon 2024, Kumar Rajagopalan, CEO of the Retailers Association of India (RAI), spoke to Storyboard18 about the ongoing Q-commerce vs. Retailers conflict, which has now reached the Competition Commission of India (CCI).
Addressing the allegations of unfair trade practices by Q-commerce and e-commerce platforms, Rajagopalan stated, “When it comes to unfair trade practices and allegations by retailers, we need to wait and see. The government has a mechanism to address such issues.”
Rajagopalan added, “As far as Q-commerce platforms are concerned, they are here to stay because customers are getting something they've always wanted. At RAI, we believe in creating a level playing field for all retailers, and the Indian government has already launched the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), which will likely incorporate hyper-local and fast-commerce capabilities.”
He went on to say, “We are waiting for ONDC to improve further, and RAI is actively working with them. I believe that when your trusted local retailer can provide the product you want, whether online or offline, at the desired speed, small retailers will naturally thrive.”
Rajagopalan emphasized, “Our goal is to help small retailers improve their operations. As the Retailers Association, we don’t believe in halting new or innovative businesses, but we aim to ensure everyone has a level playing field.”
Recently, All India Consumer Products Distributors Federation (AICPDF), which claims to represent about 800,000 entities, expressed concerns over the rapid expansion of quick commerce platforms. They allege that these platforms create an uneven playing field, negatively impacting small retailers.
The AICPDF submitted a complaint to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, raising concerns about anti-competitive practices by quick commerce companies and calling for an investigation.
When asked about RAI's stance on this issue, Rajagopalan said, “The debate over whether retailers should be available both online and offline is now irrelevant. Customers are shopping both ways. Any retailer worth their salt must be available online and offline, which is why I support ONDC. You can’t do anything that goes against customer interests—it will backfire.”
He added, “The key is to enable everyone to do business for the customer. However, if someone is engaging in deep discounting or loss leadership practices that are anti-competitive, these should be addressed, and it’s the government’s responsibility to ensure such practices are stopped.”
“At RAI, we always emphasize a level playing field. No one should take undue advantage of the situation with unfair trade practices. At the same time, businesses should not expect things to be the same as they were a decade ago—COVID has changed all of us as consumers. Retailers must adopt new methods to upgrade themselves.”
The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has referred a complaint against quick commerce companies to the CCI for further investigation.
Moreover, Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has urged the government to suspend the 'festival sales' events of Amazon and Flipkart, as they will further harm domestic traders through the continued use of anti-competitive practices.
On September 26, Madras High Court lawyer K Narasimhan alleged in his complaint to the DPIIT that e-commerce platform Flipkart is offering discounts at product level for select sellers and creating a non-competitive environment. The letter was sent to the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade Secretary Amardeep Singh Bhalla.
CBI raids PCI President Montu Patel in bribery probe
🔎 On July 3, 2025, the CBI raided the Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar homes of PCI President Montu Kumar Patel over alleged bribery and college approval irregularities .
💸 An FIR alleges Dr. Patel accepted bribes to approve underqualified pharmacy colleges and bypass proper inspections .
📺 Physical inspections were scrapped in favor of quick 8‑minute online audits in 2023–24, paving the way for potential corruption .
🏫 Investigators found “phantom colleges” in UP, MP, Gujarat & Rajasthan approved despite dilapidated infrastructure .
🕴️ A senior CBI officer noted that “college recognitions were being sold for money under Patel’s tenure” .
🤐 The probe uncovered fake records, back‑dated approvals, GPSC portal manipulation, and electoral sway tactics . 🧠 The investigation follows a Supreme Court critique in May over PCI’s “arbitrary” decisions—spotlighting deep governance issues .
🧾 The CBI will likely expand the probe to cover key states like Maharashtra, targeting systemic faults .
⚠️ Dr. Patel, elected in April 2022, hasn’t been arrested yet; however, the evidence seized is described as “substantial” . 🏛️ With accreditation credibility at stake, experts now call for a full overhaul of PCI’s college recognition and inspection system .
What’s your thoughts on this?
Sources : Harsh Y
#PharmacyEducation #PharmaRegulation #PharmacyCouncilOfIndia #PharmaGovernance #PharmaLeadership #PharmacyColleges #PharmaIndia #EducationStandards
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